


Our Choices Seal Our Fate

by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl



Series: A Brush With the Devil Can Clear Your Mind [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Courtship, F/M, Magic, Secret Relationship, Thor: Ragnarok (2017), undoing the snap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2020-10-17 13:08:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20621540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NyxEtoile/pseuds/NyxEtoile, https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlivesAwl/pseuds/OlivesAwl
Summary: "Absolutely everyone is going to think we're either planning a conquest, or fucking on the table. Maybe both." It was terrible how appealing that actually sounded to him."If you're asking me to dine with you again I assume at least one of those is an eventual goal."Oh, he liked this woman.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We realized Syn remembering the missing years was too interesting to pass up. So here's her and Loki's story. Title is from Broken Crown by Mumford and Sons.
> 
> (In tagging this, I realized Loki/Syn is now an official tag and am DELIGHTED by this.)

It had started as part research, and part bare curiosity. If you were going to impersonate someone, you should know as much about them as possible. It had been patently obvious to Loki that Odin was not entirely what he seemed.

Stealing a baby and raising it like a son with the express intention of using that son for very specific political ends was a very long game that took a certain level of pathos. It seemed in Loki's best interest to figure out how deep that ran, and what he was truly dealing with.

So when he wasn't involved in some ceremonial something-or-other, he found himself in the deepest recesses of the King's Private Library. There lay the records and histories of the entire royal family and every major event they'd been part of. Every war. Every conquest.

It didn't take long for Loki to consider going down to Midgard and finding out if he really was strong enough to kill the Allfather. Because it was absolutely breathtaking the degree to which Odin was a hypocrite. He could still see him sitting on that throne, sanctimonious and outraged like he were some kind of saint. Loki could have succeeded in blowing up Jotunheim and wouldn't have come anywhere near Odin's body count.

He wondered if his mother—and, yes, she was his mother—had truly known who she'd married.

His personal thirst for conquest had been driven by a desire to prove himself. To Odin and, to a lesser extent, Thor. Now that neither were around to judge him, he found he couldn't care less what the other realms were up to. He was Asgard's ruler and Asgard needed ruling.  
First order of business was infrastructure. Railings on the Bifrost bridge. Maintenance on the roads coming in and out of the city. He balanced the books, adjusted tax rates and funded arts education in the city's schools. Not everyone was a damned warrior. And funding was far easier to come up with when you weren't maintaining an army stretched halfway across the galaxy.

He'd be of half a mind to disband it entirely, except that he expected the Asgardian army was the only thing keeping Thanos from coming for him, and the Tesseract he'd so desperately wanted. In its prison or on its throne, he was safe as long as he was _here_.

Odin had spoke often of uniting the realms. Unite, as it turned out, meant conquered. Some had acclimated, like Vanaheim, and were willing allies. Some acquiesced but seethed like Jotunheim. One seemed to have done neither, and remained under Asgardian "protection" at the tip of a sword. 

Alfheim was the home of the Light Elves, as the Midgardians had called them. Physically similar to Asgardians or Vanir, but slightly frailer and steeped in magic. They were ruled by a steward under Odin's control, after killing the previous king in a bloody invasion.

Loki didn't know the steward, he'd been running Alfheim since Loki was a child. He got regular reports from him, all very officious without telling him much of anything.

Until one day it came out of schedule.

_Sire,_

_It is with deep concern I write you to tell you that a rebellion has sprung up among the common folk here. It seems a member of the old ruling family survived the earlier conflict and has managed to raise a small army while in exile. Normally, I would not trouble you with a peasant rebellion, but loyal nobles have told me in confidence that this upstart has gathered a following among the noble families. I request an immediate armed presence here to squash this insurgence and secure your rule._

_With deepest regards I remain your humble servant._

Loki had days where he missed Heimdal. He'd obviously had no choice but to declare him a traitor and run him off—their treasonous escape with the Ether made an excellent excuse he couldn't pass up. But it would be nice to have someone who saw everything. Odin, he knew, had relied on that a lot. Probably to the detriment of the people Heimdal was watching.

Still, Loki had people who worked for him. "Will someone please get me some detail about what is going on on Alfheim?" he asked his morning council meeting. He didn't care which one of them did it, just that someone did.

By the end of the day he had two of the councilors in his private office, giving their report.

"The children of the previous Alfan king were believed killed during the war to bring Alfheim under our rule," one began. "It seems this report was incorrect. Two of them, a brother and a sister, were smuggled from the palace during the final battle and grew to adulthood in the country."

"Out there they were able to gather quite a lot of support from the common folk who still see them as the rightful rulers of Alfheim," the other continued. "The boy was killed in a skirmish a few months ago, but that's only bolstered the local support for the girl. Enough support to form what reports say is a formidable army."

"She's also getting support from some of the noble and merchant class. Monetary support, if not men."

"Tell me about the Steward," Loki said. "What has he been up to? His reports are sparse."

They shrugged. "He's little more than a tax collector. Not particularly interested in the comings and goings of the people. If I recall you sent him there as a sort of punishment and then never recalled him."

"It was a long time ago." Loki blamed a lot of things Odin didn't remember because Loki hadn't known on time and age. It worked as a perfect excuse. "Perhaps it's time I do so."

Alfheim had a right to its own destiny as much as any other realm. And Loki appreciated a good revolution.

His note was brief, and blunt. _A leader who is mutinied against by that large a number almost certainly deserves it. Surrender while you still have your head attached, and tell the Rightful Queen of Alfheim to come for a state visit once she settles in._

It was the last he heard of Alfheim until a month later when the idiot he'd set up in Heimdal's place appeared in the throne room announcing Queen Syn the Truthful of Alfheim and her prisoner were here for a visit.

"Bring them in," he said, doing his best to sound stern. But he was quietly _very_ entertained that she'd brought what he assumed was the steward back to Asgard herself. That took a certain kind of nerve.

The doors opened and a woman walked in. She was tall and long limbed, in a gown the color of a stormy sea. Her long hair was intricately braided and she wore a thick gold torc around her throat. Trailing behind her was a middle aged man with his hands chained. She was carrying the other end of the chain in her hand. If that was the steward, he'd likely been younger than Loki when given the position. Certainly he hadn't had the knowledge or experience to run a realm.

She studied him a moment, and an expression he couldn't quite place cross her features. Then she held the chain out with one hand. "I'm here to return some missing Asgardian property."

"I am impressed by your mercy." He waved for one of the guards to come take the chain. He'd unhook the man later.

She dropped the chain into the guard's hand as if it was a piece of refuse she'd picked up somewhere, before turning back to him. "There's been enough blood spilt on my throne. And he surrendered quite prettily."

Loki liked this woman. "Welcome to Asgard, your highness. Would you care to stay for dinner?"

Her mouth twisted up in a crooked, cat-who-ate-the-bird smile. "I'd love to."

He imagined she thought she'd somehow gotten one over on Odin. Perhaps she thought him a doddering old fool. "I will see you then. Feel free to walk the palace grounds or explore the city."

She inclined her head in something that wasn't quite a bow, but showed a modicum of respect. Then she turned and left in a swish of skirt.

He called in the two men who'd brought him the original briefing. "I want everything there is to know about her."

By the time he went to the king's private dining room at dinner time, he felt confident he knew enough to play her well. Granted, most of his knowledge was about her family and Alfan royalty in general. Being raised by farmers miles from the capital while in exile meant she hadn't exactly been attending royal balls and being written up on the society page.

She was already seated when he arrived. Since it was a meal between an allied royal, there were no guards in the room, only servants passing in and out as they brought wine and food.

"Your majesty," she said politely, standing as he joined her.

"How was your afternoon?" he asked as he sat.

"Lovely," she replied, retaking her seat. "Your mother's garden is very peaceful."

He nodded, and looked away, because mention if his mother still stung.

His mother's garden.

_His_ mother.

Loki turned to stare at her.

She was smiling that twisted smile again. "Surely by now you've learned at least the basics of the Alfan royal family. Including our inability to lie." She gestured at him, sipping her wine. "It applies to illusions, too."

She could see him. Somehow, beneath the glamour. "Interesting thing to come to my palace and say." They were alone in here. He could kill her if he had to. She had to know that. And yet, here she was. Tipping her hand.

"In my defense, I didn't know for certain until I walked into the throne room this afternoon. And you're the one who invited me to dinner."

There seemed no point in denying it, if she could see him. "Are you claiming to have suspected something?"

"Odin would never have let me take back the throne without a fight," she said, with rock solid certainly. "Even if he'd decided he didn't want to win, or didn't care, he'd have put up a token protest. A man who loves power and control cannot afford to give up to a _girl_."

"He couldn't give it up to anyone, it's not just you."

"Oh, I'm sure." She sipped her wine again, looking at him over the rim. "What did you do with him?"

"That's not your concern," he said sharply. Just because she'd showed her cards doesn't mean he was going to show all of his.

She shrugged. "Worth a try." Setting her glass down, she leaned back to study him. "I'm not going to tell anyone, if that's your concern."

"I can't fathom why you told me. Wasted opportunity, really."

"Subterfuge is your method. There are others. I wish to be left alone. I suspect you're inclined to leave me alone. A little bit of mutually assured destruction is marvelous for keeping the peace."

"I am almost disappointed by that. You seem like good company." She interested him. His gut told him she was his intellectual equal and that was rare.

One of her brows arched gracefully. "Well, if we were to keep company, it would be talked about, wouldn't it?"

"People would probably think that was how you earned Odin's cooperation."

"That is generally the assumption when a pretty woman gets what she wants."

Loki chuckled and shook his head. "Which is unfortunate, I understand you raised quite the army. Enough that if I'd sent troops to 'secure my rule' as the steward put it, it would have been bloody."

"Oh, very," she agreed. "And I'd still have won."

He raised an eyebrow. "You seem very confident of that."

"I had the advantages of home terrain, conviction of cause, and centuries to plan."

"And you expected Odin to send the army."

"I did. So, in that respect, you did surprise me. That doesn't happen often."

Loki took a long drink of his wine. "I told the steward that any leader who'd inspired a rebellion of that magnitude deserved to be overthrown."

"It was frighteningly easy," she said with mock sympathy. "No one liked him."

"I believe Odin gave him the job as punishment."

The noise she made was both offended and dismissive. "Well, I'm sure he suffered."

"You are not at all what I expected, Queen Syn."

"Why thank you, your highness."

He fidgeted with his rings. The plethora of rings was one of his favorite bits of the Odin getup. He liked having something to do with his hands. "If I invited you to dinner again, would you accept?"

She tilted her head, considering him thoughtfully. "Would it be possible for you to drop the illusion if I did? It's making me a little cross eyed.'

His eyebrows went up. "Would you consent to the door being locked?"

"I'll allow it."

"We'll have to serve our own food."

She smiled and it wasn't the twisted one but a soft, real one. "I was raised on a farm, I know how to pour drinks and cut meat."

"Absolutely everyone is going to think we're either planning a conquest, or fucking on the table. Maybe both." It was terrible how appealing that actually sounded to him.

"If you're asking me to dine with you again I assume at least one of those is an eventual goal."

Oh, he liked this woman. "Maybe I just enjoy your company."

She smiled. "Why thank you. The feeling is mutual."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"I'll just appoint myself, in disguise, as your ambassador. That is ridiculous and utterly brilliant all at once."_

If anyone had ever told Syn she would find herself in a clandestine relationship with the king of Asgard, she'd have laughed her head off. And possibly taken theirs off as well. And yet, it was where she'd found herself. Loki was both like and unlike Odin. Certainly they had a similar way of talking, with an unwavering confidence that simply assumed everyone would agree with them. She presumed that was why he was so good at pretending to be him. The man had raised him after all.

But whatever tales of conquest and glory Loki had been raised on, he seemed content to keep Asgard as it was. He built roads and bridges and a giant statue to himself, which made her laugh out loud the first time she saw it.

"Are you sure you couldn't make it any larger?" she teased him at dinner.

"One of my favorite bits of my current farce is pretending my father actually mourned me." 

"The helmet is ridiculous."

"You say that because you are not Asgardian. I love that helmet."

She shook her head indulgently. "Doesn't it just make a good hand hold for your enemies?"

"Anyone who gets close enough to reach it will get a dagger in the gut, I assure you." He leaned back in his chair. Lounged, even. She'd seen him plenty in Odin face sitting just like that, even though she'd bet money Odin had never draped himself in a chair like that in his entire life. 

"Daggers. I should have known you'd fight up close." She leaned back in her own chair, sipping her wine. "Takes skill and cunning. And just a _touch_ of recklessness."

"Ah, and you are the type to shoot projectiles from a distance, I assume. Poison-tipped arrows, perhaps." 

"I'm also good with a staff," she told him, not denying the other. She was deadly with an arrow, poisoned or not.

He sat up again, leaning on the arm of his chair nearest her. "That can be eye-contact close."

"It can. Sometimes there is no option but to get one's hands dirty."

There was something almost predatory in his smile. "I imagine you'd be fun to spar with."

She couldn't help but smile back. "Oh. I'm sure I would be."

"I do not think I have that kind of privacy here. Sadly."

"You could always come to Alfheim."

He was clearly intrigued. "Not as Odin. I'd have to be someone else."

"Well, I think it's well past time Odin arranged for some sort of ambassador to come visit me. I can't drop everything and hop the Bifrost overtime we have to negotiate something."

He laughed. "I'll just appoint myself, in disguise, as your ambassador. That is ridiculous and utterly brilliant all at once."

"I think that describes this entire replace Odin plan you have going on."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"It was intended at one," she assured him. "So I should expect a new ambassador shortly?"

"Within the week, I should think."

"How exciting." She sipped her wine. "I can't wait to meet him."

It was exactly four days later when her new ambassador showed up on her doorstep.

The illusion he wore was difficult to make out. It overlapped his actual face and appeared to be closer to his normal appearance than Odin was, so the differences were harder to pick out. He definitely had lighter hair, an almost strawberry blond, and some facial hair. His brow was less severe and his chin broader. It softened his face enough to make him hard to recognize, but still quite handsome.

In public, she greeted him politely, declared herself eager to begin negotiations, and then invited him ti a private supper once he'd settled in his rooms.

"Can I lock the door?" he asked when he arrived, still in his glamour.

"Of course," she replied, pouring his wine.

She heard it click, and then he was himself. Same clothing, though. "I tried to alter as little as I could."

"You did well. At certain angles I could hardly tell." She held out his goblet. "Who is watching Asgard?"

"Odin is sleeping. I left an illusion image. No one will disturb him." He took the goblet and took a long drink.

"Clever." Though it likely meant he was only here for the day. She tried not to feel too disappointed at that. "Sit. Have some supper."

"Stuffing with food before we spar? I appreciate the tactic."

"Maybe I just want to make sure you're at full strength."

He watched her. "No. You're not one to give up an advantage."

"I appreciate your confidence in me." She sat and served herself some rice and fish. "What are the stakes?"

Loki raised an eyebrow. "What do you wish?"

She lifted a shoulder. "I'm not sure. I just know that sparring, like cards, is more fun if there are stakes."

"I am the King of Asgard. There isn't much I want that I can't just get for myself."

Syn bet she could think of one thing. "A favor, then. To be collected upon at a later date." He didn't respond immediately and she smiled. "Everyone can use a favor now and again."

"Deal," he said, and there was something dangerous about his smile. She shouldn't like that, but she did. "Let's eat."

It was a good thing she was so very confident in herself.

They ate their dinner and made conversation, but she could feel him studying her the entire time.

She'd figured dessert could wait until after the sparring. Or, perhaps, sparring was the dessert. So once they'd cleaned their plates and he'd rejected a refilling of his wine, she asked, "To the training room?"

He stood, and bowed rather formally. "Ladies first."

Not entirely sure she trusted him at her back, she stood as well and lead him from the room, through the corridor, to her private gym. Once inside she made a show of locking the door. "No one will dare disturb me."

He moved his hand, and in a shimmer of green, his clothing changed from something ceremonial and leisurely to something he could fight in. It wasn't an illusion, either. He could apparently change actual clothing by magic.

She'd worn her leathers under her dress, so she just had to untie it at the hip and slip it off. Her staff appeared in her hand as the tossed the dress aside. Twirling it, she strolled around to face him.

Loki was staring at her, like he hadn't expected her to be in battle gear. And he clearly found it very distracting. That was handy.

He manifested a staff for himself, and tapped it against his hand.

"No daggers?" she asked.

"Do you want to be stabbed?" he asked incredulously.

"You never use practice ones?" She paused and studied him. "No. You probably just stabbed your brother."

"In my defense, I did that a lot." He flipped his staff easily, in a way that told her he had some skill with it.

"My brother was really more for putting gross animals in my bed." She watched him move, the way his feet shuffled and the flex of muscle under his leathers. Learning how he moved.

All the meals she'd had with him, she'd found hims to be someone who constantly fiddled with things. That ought to translated into an inability to stay still, but that wasn't the case. He was suddenly very, very still. Like a cat stalking its prey. Like a snake waiting to strike. It was fascinating to watch. Lovely, in its way.

He lashed out with the staff and she blocked it, knocking it aside and dancing away. It had been a test, a feint. He was gauging her as much as she was him. He flipped the staff once, twice, deliberately casual, and then struck again.

That one he meant. She blocked, dodged and made her own strike, which he countered. And then. . . they were dancing. Their staves cracked every time they collided. Neither of there were trying to hurt the other. They might not even be trying to win. The dance was most of the fun.

She began to get tired before he did. He was, after all, much sturdier than her. Still, she wasn't quite ready to yield. So she started getting more aggressive. He matched it, and she could see him smile. He'd been holding back, and she could tell by the way he grinned at her that he wasn't anymore.

Almost immediately, she was giving ground. She focused in on him, looking for any opening to get the upper hand on him. At one point, she managed to hook the end of her staff behind his knee, yanking in an effort to knock him over. He rolled with the fall, using the momentum to crash into her and bring her down with him. He pressed his staff against hers, using his superior strength to push it, and her arms over her head to pin them to the ground. 

She grinned at him, breathing hard. "Well," she managed. "You seem to have me right where you want me."

"Perhaps I do." His eyes drifted down, watching her mouth. "Do you yield?"

"Hmm. I suppose I must yield."

He grinned. "Good." He bent his head down closer to kiss her. Releasing her staff, she speared her fingers into his long hair, tangling her hands in the strands as she kissed him back.

He groaned, abandoning his weapon and bringing his hands down to stroke one along her side. She arched into him, so he could tuck them under her, wrapping her in his arms. He was very sturdy and strong, different from Alfan men. She found she rather liked it.

He lifted his mouth just a fraction of an inch off of hers. "Tell me to stop."

"I will stab you if you stop," she informed him.

"Do you have a stabbing implement on you?" He looked like he honestly hoped she did.

"I could conjure one. Though I'm guessing the pins in my hair would draw blood if I meant it."

"It'll do." He kissed her jaw, her throat, sucking on her skin in a way that was probably going to leave a mark. He wasn't stopping, so she didn't stab him, but knowing he'd probably enjoy it was useful information.

He reached the top of her tunic and pulled the tie of her bodice with his teeth, which made her laugh. "Seems polite not to poof your clothes," he said, pushing the side of the fabric apart enough he could dip his hand inside to cup her breast.

"Would I be able to get them back?" she teased. His hand was surprisingly rough for a member of royalty, even one with battle experience. His fingers were very long and nimble, teasing her nipple expertly. She shuddered, arching into the touch.

"Maybe I'll like keeping you naked." He opened her bodice further, enough to get it down.

She released him long enough for him to tug the shirt full off. He tossed it somewhere, but she didn't pay much attention, far more interested in the things he was now doing to her breasts. He sucked one of her nipples into his mouth, rolling the other between his fingers. He really did have great hands. She wanted them everywhere.

The hand not on her breast began to pet her stomach, almost a question.

He wasn't the only one with tricks. She flickered her fingers and her trousers went back to her room, leaving her naked. He pushed up a little, looking down at her in surprise. His grin was wicked. And then he had his hand between her legs.

Syn groaned, back arching as he stroked her. He had _very_ clever hands. He kissed her again as he slid two fingers inside her. She felt the brush of his magic then, ghosting over things he could not reach. It was delightfully cool.

"Impressive," she murmured, rocking against him in encouragement. The magic swirled deeper and she shuddered roughly. "Very impressive."

He kissed her collarbone. "I could do this from anywhere." His fingers curved up. "You're just sitting on your throne, and then. . ."

Well, if he was going to go there, two could play. She stretched her own magic out, grazing it along his nerve endings and swirling around his cock. He froze, and she felt him shudder. Clearly he had not expected that. "Careful." It was a warning, but he didn't specify what. 

He pushed her legs further apart, bent between them and now she his hand, his magic, and his tongue on her. She cried out, in surprise and pleasure. Her magic surged, pressing and stroking against him. Pleasure built up in her belly and she closed her eyes, focusing on it as it grew.

"Fuck," he growled, and she felt the loss as he stopped what he was doing to her. When she opened her eyes, he had crawled back up her and was looming over her, braced on his arms. His own clothing had vanished.

Smiling, she stroked a hand along his jaw. "What are you waiting for?" She shifted her legs, cradling him between her thighs. "Come here."

He leaned down and kissed caught her mouth, and she felt his magic lift her a little, tilting her hips so he could sink into her. It stretched her in the most delightful of ways. She arched, taking him as deep as possible. She wove her fingers into his hair, holding him down to draw the kiss out as he started to move. He pulled nearly all the way out, and then pushed back in. She'd thought this would be frantic, but he seemed happy to take his time.

It was nice, so she wasn't complaining. Sex had been a while, for her. There were soldiers in her army who would have been happy to throw themselves on that sword for her, but it had seemed more important to keep her distance as their leader and queen. As queen, she certainly had her choice of bed partners. But none had been quite as interesting as him.

He kissed her once more and then pushed up, so he knelt over her with her legs around him. He could see everything, and so could she. For a moment he just looked down at her, before flattening his hand on her lower belly just above her hair. Glowing green tendrils spread out across her skin, and she could feel everywhere they touched. He thrust deep and hard and the magic seemed to move over her in time.

Her breath hitched in her throat and she arched, pleasure fluttering through her. She reached out, wrapping her hand around his wrist, feeling the thrum of power in him, cool and intense. She closed her eyes, giving into it. Her magic flared as her climax took her, clenching and shuddering around him. It wasn't much, just a few short, fast thrusts before she felt him follow her.

He sagged down onto her with none of his usual grace, making her laugh a little breathlessly. She pressed an affectionate kiss to his temple, rubbing his back. He had a nasty scar on his back, likely a twin to the one she'd noticed on his chest. She traced it with her fingers in between rubbing.

"Exit wound," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

Based on positioning, it should have been a fatal one, but now was likely not the time to pursue that line of questioning. She kissed his temple again. "We all have battle scars."

*

She intrigued him. Plenty of women did, and he'd taken plenty of them to his bed. A king's son didn't lack for evening company even if he looked like a gargoyle, which Loki was well aware he did not. Granted, there hadn't been anyone since begin his charade. He had limits to things he was willing to pretend to be his father while doing, and sex was _well_ over the line.

He could blame it on that, but he knew it wasn't. She didn't just intrigue him, she fascinated him. Getting an intimate tour of her body had only increased his interest. It was not novelty. But what it was, he didn't know.

"Now that I've been here and know where everything is, I can get here without the bifrost," he told her. They had eventually managed to make it back to her bedroom.

"That's a convenient trick," she said. She was carefully braiding her hair, presumably so it didn't get tangled as she slept. "You're full of surprises."

"It has been very handy of the course of my life, I assure you."

"Can you go anywhere you've already been?"

“More or less, yes. The further I need to go, the harder and I suspect more dangerous it is. The paths between the realms are well worn with magic and the bifrost, so its requires less effort. I just need to know both ends, so to speak.”

"Fascinating." She tied off her braid and tossed it over her shoulder. "I've never met anyone with magic like yours."

He chuckled. "Neither has anyone else."

She reached over and trailed her fingers through his hair, twining it around and letting it unwind. "You're one of a kind."

Loki wanted to make some sort of flip remark remark about his parentage, but what came out of his mouth instead was honesty. "I'm not Asgardian."

Her brows went up. "Then what are you?"

"I mean, I am Asgardian in he sense that I am 'of Asgard'. But I'm not Aesir, this is a glamour. _Why_ am I feeling compelled to tell you this?"

"Oh!" She untangled her fingers from his hair. "Sorry. I should have warned you. When I'm touching someone they have to speak the truth."

"Wow. That is a quite an impressive trick."

"Technically, it's a curse," she said, wiggling her fingers. "As is seeing through the illusions and being forced to tell the truth myself. My great-great grandfather drew the ire of a very powerful Vanir."

“I expect that’s why Odin killed your parents. He had a lot of secrets he wanted kept.”

"It would explain the level of violence he brought here. Though, my father would not have stepped down for less."

"The kind of person who'd raise an army in exile."

She gave a little bow, while sitting in bed. "I learned well."

They'd wandered a little off the subject. He could probably drop it. But he found himself wanting to tell her. "I was a war prize, taken from Jotunheim as a baby."

"You're Jotun?" she said, clearly surprised. "You don't look blue. Not even to me."

"I'll turn if I touch another one of them. Or the Casket of Ancient Winters. That's. . . how I found out."

"How old were you?" she asked gently.

"It was just a couple of years ago." He sighed, laying back and looked at the ceiling. "I did not handle it well."

She was silent and when he looked at her he found her looking horrified for the first time. "They didn't _tell_ you?"

"Did you imagine Odin was a _good_ parent?"

"I am still capable of being surprised at the depth of his assholishness."

"I read through his private, personal records, and now would be surprised by absolutely nothing."

"I suppose all rulers have dark marks in their books. Not all of them go to Odin's lengths to hide them."

"Power and conquest has a dangerously seductive call." He pulled her close. He didn't care if he couldn't lie. Right now he didn't want to.

"Speaking from experience?" she teased, playing with his hair again.

He chuckled, rubbing her back. "Yeah. Though if someone had told me how much nonsense and tedium in involved in ruling a realm, I never would have tried to take one over. Well, I guess, two."

"There is a depressing amount of meeting and paperwork, isn't there?"

"We're both new at this. We can commiserate."  
She smiled, looking sweet. "That would be nice."

After that, they began visiting back and forth whenever they had the time. Usually it was him going to her, because he could do it so much easier, but sometimes she came to him. They locked themselves in the private dining room when she did, and everyone absolutely thought they were having an affair. Well, her and Odin, something she found utterly hilarious.

And they were, in fact, quite literally, fucking on the table. He'd lift her onto it, preferring to have her than dinner. It felt dangerous and illicit and there was something very hot about that.

"Do you intend to keep up this charade for the rest of your life?" she asked him one night as they were basking in the afterglow.

Loki sighed. "I have no idea. I'm not sure what my other options are. I mean, I'm dead. Thor is down on Midgard playing house with his girlfriend."

"Someone may grow suspicious when Odin lives to be 9000."

He looked over at her. "You got any better ideas?"

"Not specifically. I just think it's. . . sad. You only get to be you when you're with me."

"I think you are the only one left who enjoys my company, so that's probably about fair."

She made a face, but didn't argue it with him. "It would be nice to walk in the sun with you," was all she said.

He sifted her hair through his fingers. "Maybe someday. But I think the shadows are where I live."

She sighed and leaned her head into his touch. "I think they are where you're most comfortable. And at the end of the day, that's probably one and the same."

"If you grow tired of hiding in them with me, I will hold you no ill will—to you or your realm."

"I find the company in the shadows quite to my liking." 

He shifted, turning them so he could look at her. He understood what she was saying. She didn't like the hiding, but she found him worth it. He didn't know if he deserved that, at all, but he wanted her so much.

She touched his face, trailing her fingers along his jawline. "It's all right," she said softly.

"I think you probably deserve better," he said. There was no probably about that. Particularly because of what the undertone of this conversation was saying. That whatever this was between them, it wasn't just sex.

"I'll decide what I deserve."

He couldn't help but smile. "That is a very you thing to say."

"I have always been certain of myself. It's one of my most charming traits."

"I can think of a few others," he said, pulling her close.

Chuckling, she kissed him. "I can't wait to hear them."

"And I'll see what I can do about some sunshine."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _He was quiet a moment, and she could see him thinking. "If my life still remained a lie, I wouldn't be able to have you."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! We're not dead. I (Olives) just had an unspeakably busy week at work, meanwhile Nyx was camping in the woods with her daughter's school trip. Not a lot got done, so now I'm posting three different things tonight.

It was not, perhaps, the love affair Syn had pictured as a girl. But it was, in some ways better. Loki was intelligent and witty and passionate, in all the best ways. And while she might have dearly liked to show him off to the worlds and walk in her garden with him in his true form, she was, for now, contend with what she did have. They had very long lives to figure out the rest of it.

"I was thinking of making a theatrical production of my life," he told her one evening.

She propped her chin on a hand, looking at him. "I cannot wait to hear where this is going."

"The idea being, convince Asgard that I'm not evil, so one day I can return from the dead."

"Not where I was expecting, but still interesting. Redemption through propaganda is a time honored method."

"It would be easier if I could make up something more heroic, and less complicated than the truth."

"I'm sure you could," she offered. "There are all manner of ways to make you an unmitigated hero."

He was quiet a moment, and she could see him thinking. "If my life still remained a lie, I wouldn't be able to have you."

"Oh," she said softly. They had not discussed the future, not in any real way, though they were both very good at dancing around it. It was very clear, without it being said, that this was something real and long term. She wanted him in her life, full time. The charade was growing tiresome. "Would you like help writing it?"

He shook his head. "I think it's my story to tell."

"All right. I'm sure I'll enjoying watching it."

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed him. "Also, you know that thing you do? Where you have a day where people can come make petty requests of you?"

"The one you mock me for? Yes, I'm very aware of it."

Loki cleared his throat. "I, well, I decided to try it here."

She couldn't help her grin. "Have you? I think that's a lovely idea. It's been a long time since Asgardian citizens had their voices heard."

"Yes. I was hoping you would come to court the day I do it. For. . . help."

"Of course." She tried not to show how touched she was. She didn't think he'd ever admitted he needed help before. "I'd love to."

"I don't really know how to interact with peasants," he said by way of explanation.

Her mouth quirked. "I imagine it's the way you are with everyone else. Maybe a little less patronizing, if you can manage it."

"I am not patronizing," he said, and somehow managed to say it in a particularly patronizing voice.

Shadows crossed his face, and she laughed. "Darling, not even you believe that."

He made a face. "I'll work on that."

"Good idea. And let me know when you'd like me to come for your grievances day."

"The scheduling people are figuring out when."

His disinterest in his own schedule amused her. They were very different rulers, sometimes.

He scheduled it for a week or so later, and sent a formal emissary to invite her—like he hadn't crawled out of her bed at dawn that morning. She went in her ceremonial best, elaborate dress and hair style, plus one of her glitteriest tiaras. He did so like fucking her while she wore only that.

She caught the awareness in his eyes with he saw her and gave him her most secret of smiles, a little exchange, just for them.

"Glad you could make it, your highness," he said, his voice having that weird double echo it did when he was being Odin.

"When his majesty demands, I come," she replied, with a little curtsey. She could see that hit him—just him, under the glamour. She'd probably pay for that later. In the best of ways.

"All right," he barked. "Let's get this started."

There was a chair and small desk set up for her at the base of his dais. She took a seat and began to take notes on some of the requests and complaints that came in. It was not lost on her that this was very much the spot his queen should take.

If there was anyone in Asgard who did not think the Queen of Alfheim was having an affair with their King, this would probably took care of that. Syn could only imagine what her brother would have thought if he was still alive.

Loki, to his credit, was remarkably patient with the people who came to see him. Far more patient than Odin would have been, she imagined. When they broke for supper she had most of a note pad full of action items for him and he looked a bit like he'd gone to war.

"I think trying to conquer Midgard again would be easier," he said around a mouthful of food.

"Don't be silly, darling, you love solving problems." She chewed her bread, skimming through her notes. "This is just dozens of little problems to solve."

"I don't know that that man feuding with his neighbor who asked to borrow the army is something I'd call little."

"I admired his gumption." She smirked at him. "I should think you's appreciate his sense of drama."

"Hey, I've never done anything subtle in my life."

"That might be the truest sentence you've ever uttered in my presence."

"At this point, most of the sentences I utter in your presence are true, because you mock me when they are not."

She was incredibly amused she'd managed to somehow train him to be honest. "I take great pride in that."

"We have one more round of petitioners this evening. Apparently people work during the day."

"It's far worse on Alfheim. We're more agrarian than Asgard. Most of my petitioners come in the evening. Expect this next batch to be a lot of land and property line disputes."

"That sort of thing seems easier to adjudicate than interpersonal problems." 

"Much. And far easier to find a happy medium that makes everyone miserable."

He grinned at her. "I do enjoy a little misery now and then."

"It's important to remind them it can always get worse."

Loki took one last drink and stood, holding out his hand. "Shall we, my dear?"

She slipped her hand into his and he pulled her to her feet and up against his chest. She stretched up to kiss him. "As you wish, darling."

*

Syn was absolutely right about the content of the evenings petitions, with one exception. A group of Tavern Girls, the kind that sold sex, came to complain about the owner of their workplace mistreating them. Loki was impressed by that—Asgard was a place that liked to pretend it didn't have such things. It took nerve to take a red-light-district complaint to the palace. Probably why the man thought he could get away with it,

Loki had someone round up said tavern keep and brought before him, and greatly enjoyed having Syn stand there and sing-song "Lying!" as the man spoke.

He gave the women joint ownership of the tavern, and sentenced the man to spend a week camping on Svartlheim to think about what he'd done.

They left and he sent the guards away, as he was done taking cases for the night.

"Well done, your majesty," Syn said, gathering up her notes. "Nicely handled."

He lounged back in his throne. The view from up here was really great. "I could not have done today without you."

She cocked her head, bracing a hand on her hip. "Is that gratitude I hear in your voice?"

"Just a little." He crooked a finger at her.

Putting down her notes, she gathered the front of her skirt, and climbed the steps up the dais. "Yes?" she asked innocently, once she was in front of him.

"Did you wear that crown just to torment me? I've been staring at it all day."

"It might have occurred to me that you'd have fond memories of it."

"I have immensely fond memories." He reached for her, to pull her closer. She came easily, falling into his lap. With a crackle and slight smell of ozone, he felt his glamor disappear.

This was wildly dangerous. If anyone walked in. . .

Which only made him enjoy it more.

"If I put a static illusion around both of us, will it hold?"

"I have not done much experimenting with illusions," she admitted. "But I think if it's not touching me, it would be all right. Can you put a little bubble around us?"

He nodded, moving an image around them, of a dark and empty throne room. You could see the green shimmer of it from the inside. "Seems be working."

"Seems so. Still," She wound her arms around his neck, dipping her head to brush her mouth against his. "Isn't this a little dangerous?"

"Oh," he murmured, feeling for the bottom hem of her dress. "So dangerous."

She shifted, lifting a little so he could hike it up over her thighs. "If we were caught, it could ruin everything."

His hands found bare skin, and he lifted her so she was straddling him instead of sitting across his lap. Something that he knew that has proved entertaining in the past was that she wore very little under all her skirts. He could just lift her skirt and bend her over the dinner table if he wanted—and had. "There will be no mistaking what we are doing."

"Oh," she murmured, settling her knees on either side of him. "No mistake at all."

The dress covered everything, of course, but it wouldn't matter. He stroked her thighs, then got one hand between them and found her very wet. He slid his fingers over her, in her. "That turns you on." 

Her breath quickened and she nipped at his lower lip. "Everything you do turns me on."

He pressed his thumb over her clit and felt her shudder. "I'd strip you naked if I could."

"Later," she murmured, rocking lazily against his hand. "In bed. You can have me naked and sprawled beneath you."

"In just the crown." Her bodice was pretty tightly laced, but he could loosen it enough he could scoop one of her breast out, and capture the nipple in his mouth.

"Of course," she purred, starting to flutter against his fingers. "Anything his majesty wishes."

"First I want to fuck you on this throne."

"Mmm." She splayed a hand on his crotch and he felt the warm swirl of her magic on his skin and his pants were gone, erection freed. Then she shifted, and he was being enveloped in her familiar, slick heat. 

Under her skirt, he cupped her ass and pulled her down hard, making her gasp. "Shhh," he told her. "I can't mask sound. Someone will hear us."

She bit her lower lip, but nodded, resting her forehead on his, rocking on him, slow and steady. She couldn't move much, given their position, but the little she did move sent jolts through him. The friction was intense. He reached between them to touch her again, When he found her clit she had trouble being quiet again, so he kissed her to swallow the sound.

Her fingers tangled in his hair and tugged, on the border of being painful. She kept her mouth on his though, hips snapping into his. Then she stilled, burying him deeply, starting to shudder. He could feel her body squeezing around him, wave after wave. He groaned into her mouth and held her tight and she pulled him over the edge with her. He could feel the illusion wavering and he sent a burst of magic out to stabilize it. Somewhere there was the sound of glass breaking.

Syn released his mouth with a gasp, burying her face in the curve of his throat, still shivering with echoes of pleasure. He sighed contentedly and kissed her shoulder. "I can't believe we just did that."

"You mean fucking on your throne?" she mumbled. "Or breaking your window?"

He was still catching his breath. "I broke a window?"

She nodded and lifted her head, gesturing behind him with her chin. "One of the stained glasses has a large crack that was not there before."

Loki chuckled. "Whoops." He kissed her, lifting her off him gently, as he didn't want to actually get caught. "Might I have my pants back, dear heart?" 

"Since you asked so nicely." She gestured elegantly and he found himself fully dressed again.

"Shall we go back to bed?" he asked as both of them stood carefully. There were a lot of stairs in front of them.

"Yes, I believe there were promises of further activities there."

He dropped the illusion of the room, and put up the one of Odin. Syn made a face at him. "Just until we get back."

"It's just unsettling," she said, carefully walking down the steps to her desk to retrieve her notes.

"It won't be forever."

"I certainly hope not," she said lightly, falling into step beside him as they walked to his private chambers. "Forever is a very long time."

"I do love it when you're literal."

She tossed him a smile. "You love everything about me."

He stopped outside his door and looked at her, this woman who could not bend the truth. He dropped the glamour, because he didn't want it and it's ghosts here right now. "I really do, you know."

Her eyes widened briefly in surprise, then softened into affection and fondness he didn't deserve. Stepping close, she went up on her toes and kissed him tenderly. "I do know. And I feel the same." 

He wrapped his arms around her and opened the door to pull her inside. She giggled, sounding very happy and young, as she let him drag her along.

*

Time passed. Too slowly and far too quickly at the same time. Loki worked on his play over the winter, refusing to let her see it. He was oddly protective of it, which she found endearing. The spring sun was melting the Asgardian snow when he announced it was done and he was working to cast it.

"You think I should wait until Odin actually dies before I reveal myself?" he asked her.

"I think that's probably safest," she offered. "Lest he make an unfortunate reappearance."

Loki huffed. "Good point."

"I think that's the first time you actually confirmed you didn't kill him," she commented, looking down at the embroidery she was working on.

He blinked. "Really? Well. . . I suppose I could."

"It was not a suggestion, my love." Whatever her feelings about Odin, Loki's relationship with him was far too complex for murder to solve. "Just an observation."

"He's in an old folks home on Midgard."

She paused mid stitch, letting that sink in. A surprised laugh bubbled out of her. "Oh spirits, that's amazing."

He laughed as well. "He is well looked after. No harm will come to him. And there's plenty of bingo."

"That was both kind and devious of you. I love it."

"I am not quite the monster I am thought to me."

"I know," she said gently. "And once your play is out the rest of the realm will know as well."

"And then we wait." He reached to rub her arm. "I look forward to the end of all the back-and-forth."

"As do I." She covered his hand with hers, tracing the tendons on the back. "I worry sometimes I'm neglecting my realm while I'm distracted by you."

"You ought to put someone in charge," he replied. "You'll need it later anyway."

Hand stilling, she looked at him. "Will I?"

"Once the charade is done, we'll be able to live here openly."

"You expect me to give up my throne and live here?"

He actually looked surprised. "Well. . . of course."

"I already have a kingdom, darling. I raised an army to get it. I don't want to just abandon it."

Loki shrugged. "We'll hire a better steward. Someone you trust to run it in your stead. I'm not suggesting you abdicate."

His casual dismissal was starting to annoy her. "I thought perhaps we could talk about this. Rather than you making a decree."

"Are we just going to visit each other on weekends forever?"

"You could come live with me," she said pointedly.

He finally put down his papers and looked at her fully. "I have to rule Asgard."

"You could hire a steward," she said brightly.

"Are you really going to require me to entertain this? Is that what discussing it means? That I pretend to consider leaving Asgard and it's army and the _Bifrost_ unsupervised to come, what, sit in a chair next to your throne? I'm not making a decree, I can just see what's obvious."

Syn stabbed her needle into her embroidery. Arguing with the man was impossible. He was so utterly convinced he was right that you were treated as stupid for daring to have a different opinion. "I am a queen," she said calmly. "As surely as you are a king. And I am not going to be spoken to like that." She stood. "When you are capable of acknowledging other people have wants and needs as valid as yours, feel free to come speak to me again."

"My apologies, your highness," he said, ice in his voice. He stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I'm sure I have something pressing to take care of."

She didn't dignify that with a response, simply gathered up her things and left the room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"I assure you, I do not handle overpowering emotions gracefully either."_

They didn't talk for a while, each staying with their tempers in their respective realms. Sometimes they needed to give each other space. Her spies and insiders kept her abreast of Asgardian news. She heard he finally started putting on his ridiculous play and pondered making her way over to see it and offer her congratulations as a sort of olive branch.

Unfortunately, before she could, Thor came back to Asgard and found Loki out.

She sent a message entreating him to come to Alfheim if he needed somewhere safe to be. She contemplated the logistics of breaking him out of Asgard's prison, if needed. Her exceptionally reliable instinct told her Thor wouldn't kill Loki, regardless of just about anything. But if they went to Midgard and found Odin. . .all bets were off.

The next news was not even remotely what she expected. Apparently a woman claiming to be Odin's oldest child was now claiming her right to the throne and the Asgardian army had died trying to stop her. Syn could only assume Thor and Loki were gone as well. She had no time to mourn, only ordered her army to be on alert and made plan after plan to protect her realm.

"I don't know that there is much we could do to mount an effective defense over someone who took down Asgard's armies," said Colm, the captain of her guard. He said it gently, hovering in the doorway of her office. "Certainly not anything you can come up with without sleep."

"I know," she said, rubbing a hand over her face. There had been no word from Asgard since Hela had arrived. She had no idea what was happening over there, if an assault was coming or when. "Every time I try to sleep. . . I can't."

"The waiting is always the worst." He came into the room and sat in one of her chairs. 

"At this particular moment I don't expect any news to be better than silence."

"Probably. But at least then we won't be waiting."

She nodded. "Is this where you gently tell me to get some sleep?"

"Yes," he said. "And then we'll face tomorrow when it comes. Like always." Syn had known Colm since back when starting a revolution was just something Syn and her brother joked about over dinner. He wasn't usually one to fuss. 

He had been giving her quite the side-eye lately because everyone thought she'd taken up with Odin.

"I suppose you've now figured out I wasn't shagging our greatest enemy."

"My best theory was that you were slowly poisoning him."

She smirked. "I appreciate your faith in me. Though I do like to think I would have been more efficient."

Colm lifted a shoulder. "There's merit in a long con." 

"True." She sighed, twirling her pen. "I knew who he was the moment I saw him. When I presented the steward to him in chains. He invited me to dinner. It. . . spiraled from there."

"Did it bother you he was Odin's son?"

She thought about telling him Loki wasn't even Asgardian. But it was not her story to tell. "He is Frigga's son," she told him, because it was true and actually more important than his Jotun roots.

He inclined his head, like he understood. "You haven't been there in a while."

"We had a fight. About giving up my throne. He wanted to reveal himself and rule Asgard in his own name." She sighed and pressed her lips together. "I realize now that was for me, not him."

"Must have been hard for you to maintain the facade."

"You know I'm excellent at abusing honesty loopholes."

"Have you heard from him at all?"

She shook her head, feeling her stomach clench. "I was thinking of going over to see his ridiculous play as a sign I was open to talking. But. . ." She gestured vaguely.

"Yeah." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Stay out of the liquor, no matter how much it helps the grief. That way lies madness. I should know."

"I know," she said gently. "I won't have time for grief anytime soon, anyway."

He sighed. "In that case, we really should both get some sleep."

She nodded, getting to her feet. "If you insist."

The next bit of news she received was that Hela had been defeated, and Asgard was gone.

Now, unfortunately, she did have time to grieve. She avoided the liquor, as she'd promised Colm. For a little while, she avoided everything but her bed. She'd have spend far longer there, but there was a realm to rule and it didn't care that it hurt to even try to breathe around the boulder of grief that sat on her chest.

Her assistant, Hilde, hovered this time. Mostly to make sure she ate.

It hurt the way losing her brother had hurt, but with a new strain of bitterness. Her last words to her brother had been of love and support. Her last words with Loki had been in anger. And that was never going to change.

Life went on, at least for everyone around her. She had a realm to run. The least she could do—and all she could do, was see to her duty. That was all that kept her going. Even after half the people in her realm - and apparently the universe - turned to ash.

*

_Five Years Later_

Life had become far more like her days as a farm girl than Syn's brief time as a proper queen. Alfheim wasn't the largest, or most populous realm on the best of days. With half of her people gone, everyone had to chip in to make sure the ones remaining didn't suffer. Which meant even the queen chipped in sowing and harvesting.

It was the first year, since the vanishing, that they had a truly good harvest. She was thinking about throwing some sort of festival. People were moving on. Even if she still felt like she was standing still.

She stood in the southern orchard, having a water break with Colm. She'd probably over done it, a headache was building behind her eyes. "Long day," she commented, rolling her head from one shoulder to the other. "Maybe I'll indulge in a bath."

"If you could see how much dirt was in your hair, you wouldn't say maybe."

She laughed. Colm was the only person left who could routinely make her smile. "That's how you know I was working and not napping."

He smiled back. "Come on, I'll buy you some ale, and then you can go clean up."

"An ale would be delightful."

She had two ales, even, and then went back home to take her bath. The ale only seemed to make the headache worse. Hoping the bath would take the edge off so she could sleep, she filled the tub, adding lavender oil and suds, before sinking into the hot, fragrant water.

It felt like the headache she got when she tried to lie. Which made absolutely no sense. The water seemed to help and after she washed, she let herself drift a little.

Suddenly she could hear someone moving around out in her bedchamber. Frowning, she eased herself out upright in the water. "Hello?" she called.

There was a tap on the door, and then it opened, and Hilde stuck her head in. Hilde who she hadn't seen in five years. "Yes, ma'am? You all right?"

Syn stared at her a moment, then pinched herself. Hilde was still standing there. "What- How-?"

Clearly concerned, Hilde came further into the room. "Your majesty?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

She realized, suddenly, that her head didn't hurt anymore. Her bathroom looked a little different—cleaner, but with more stuff. And it was daylight.

"Maybe you should get out of the bath," Hilde said cautiously, holding out a towel.

Nodding, she eased herself up, noticing idly that the water now smelled of jasmine, not lavender. Hilde helped wrap her in the towel. "Hilde," she said softly. "Please don't think I'm mad. But what's on my schedule today?"

"You have a couple of meetings on the Midsummer planning, that budget thing you keep postponing, and you wanted to go for a ride in the afternoon."

Midsummer. Not harvest. She sat, hard, on the edge of the tub. She remembered, dimly, the budget thing. Once the vanishing happened it hadn't seemed terribly important anymore.

"Asgard exploding. Hela." She looked up at Hlide. "How long ago was that?"

"The better part of a season."

Syn covered her mouth with a hand, trying not to cry or scream or any of the other things she wanted to do. It was gone. The last five years were gone. She was back at the beginning, the day of the vanishing, or near enough. Someone, somehow had done something to take it all back.

*

For what seemed to be the third time in his life, Loki woke up from what he'd _thought_ was his death. For a bit he stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, trying to figure out where he was. Somewhere in space, he could hear the thrum of engines. But this wasn't the Statesman. This ship was old and grubby.

"I told them you'd wake up," said a voice from the doorway. Loki squinted and lifted his pounding head to see Valkyrie.

"Hi," he croaked.

"Hi, yourself." She came in and sat in a chair by the bed he was laying on. "We found you frozen and floating in space. I think you're immortal."

He groaned and sat up. "No. But I am Jotun—I don't know if anybody told you that—so that might have helped with the frozen thing." He rubbed his forehead. "Where's Thor?" 

She clenched her jaw and shook her head.

Damn Thanos. And damn his brother. And, while he was at it, damn himself for surviving despite everyone's best efforts.

He coughed a little and rolled stiffness out of his shoulders. "Where are we?"

Valkyrie sighed. "Ship called the _Yog_. I stole it. All the pods made it." Her voice was flat and she recited them like boring facts. 

"Everyone?" She nodded brusquely. "We're still heading to Midgard?"

"Sure. Why the fuck not?" And now he got surly.

"Heimdal called the bifrost and took himself and Banner somewhere. I assume it was there. We should go there."

"I'm not objecting. You wanna be in charge?"

He bit back his first, instinctive reply, reminding himself she was grieving his brother and had been for who knew how long before he woke up. "Do you?"

She glared at a blank spot on the wall. "I promised him I'd see them to safety, and I will. Once we get to Midgard, the crown is all yours to do as you wish with. I think I'm going to get blinding drunk and stay that way for a couple of years."

"Fair enough." He eased himself off the bed, testing a moment to be sure he wasn't going to immediately fall off. It occurred to him that Syn had almost certainly heard about Asgard's destruction and likely assumed he was dead. He wondered if she was upset about that as Valkyrie was for Thor.

"We seem to have the same goals for the moment," he said once he was steady on his feet. "It would likely be better for everyone to work together."

"That's certainly true." She looked over at him. "Sorry. I shouldn't take it out on you."

He inclined his head. "I assure you, I do not handle overpowering emotions gracefully either."

She nodded, and for a moment she looked like she wanted to say something. Then she inhaled, and he could see her straighten her spine.

He thought about Syn again.

"All right," Valkyrie said. "You can get to Midgard, can't you? By magic?"

"Yes," he said. "But if they're not there, I may not be able to get back. I'll need Heimdal's help to hit a target as small as a spaceship." 

She frowned. "Don't suppose you can transport the whole ship?"

"No."

"I think this ship has a light speed engine. But I killed the crew so it may take a little to get it running. Go to Midgard and find Heimdal. If you don't come back, that's my next plan."

"All right." He wasn't going to get into the rest of that statement. They all mourned in their own way. "With any luck, I'll see you soon."

He altered his appearance because the people of Earth were not all that fond of him. He took himself to the spot in Central Park in New York City where he'd departed on his last visit. He had no real idea how to go about looking for anyone, and decided that if Heimdal were here, he'd know Loki was.

Like being lost in the forrest, the best thing to do was sit down and wait. So Loki got a newspaper and found a bench. Apparently Thanos had come to Earth yesterday, and the Avengers and some country called Wakanda had fought him off.

He had enough time to find that surprising - Thanos wasn't one to retreat - when the bifrost opened up on the path beside him and Thor shot out, scooping him up into a hug.

"Heavens, you're not dead after all," Loki said dryly. Though honestly he was absolutely delighted.

"Neither are you," Thor said, voice muffled. "Somehow."

"They found me floating in space," he said, which for some reason made Thor laugh.

He leaned back, holding Loki at arms length to study him. "What about the others? Did they make it?"

"All of them. Apparently. They're on a ship now, that apparently Valkyrie stole. I came here to find help."

Thor turned back to Heimdal, who was hovering a few feet away, giving them space. "Can you find them?"

"Yes," he said. "But the bifrost would blow a hole in their ship."

"Could a small enough ship ride the bifrost itself?" Loki asked. "Those escape pods are pretty small." He wasn't entirely sure how they were just making the bifrost happen wherever, but that was a question to ask later.

Heimdal considered a moment. "It could be done. By a good pilot."

There was a paused, then Loki said, "Feasible. But I need to take you back to the ship before she finds the alcohol stores."

Thor's face lit up, even as his expression grew concerned. "Valkyrie?"

"Yes. Though admittedly she was a very good pilot while drunk, so maybe it's not a problem."

"Still. I'd like to see her. Can you teleport us back?"

He looked at Heimdal. "I need a little help with aim."

He smirked slightly. "That I am happy to help with."

With a very precise location, Loki was able to get them to the ship. They materialized in the cargo bay, which was packed with people. They swarmed Thor immediately, and Loki abandoned him to that. He'd forgive him in a minute. He made his way up to the ship's bridge, finding Valkyrie where he'd left her. "There you are. Are you sober?" he asked.

"Regrettably so. I assume you found Heimdal?"

"I did. Come down to the cargo bay." Loki inclined his head.

Sighing, she got to her feet and followed him back down below decks.  
Thor damn near plowed some people over to get to her. Loki had been expecting some sort of interesting reaction—being able to surprise someone like that was rare, and often entertaining. But she stood still and silent, until Thor reached her, picked her up, and then you could hear the hitch of a sob. Watching their reunion, Loki felt only an ache.

He was an idiot, and an asshole. He needed to go see Syn.

First, however, they needed to get everyone to Midgard. He owed that to Thor, and to Asgard.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Playing 'what if' and 'if only' will only drive you mad."_

Syn was fairly certain she wasn't mad. The vanishing and five years of struggle had really happened. But living in a world where no one else remembered them, and she didn't know if it still might happen, was certainly going to _drive_ her mad.

She gave up trying to tell people about it. Hilde was far too pragmatic and grounded to even attempt explaining it to her. She made a good faith effort to tell Colm about it. He'd been there, after all, in those long days and years. And he listened to her, calmly and patiently as he did everything. But she could tell when she was done he didn't really believe her. Despite her truth curse and the fact she couldn't possibly be making it up whole cloth, he couldn't believe her.

Then one day, while she was out in her garden, she thought perhaps the madness had come after all. Because suddenly she looked up, and Loki was standing on the path in front of her.

For that particular moment, she didn't actually care. He looked real enough, boots in the dust and the sun beating down on him. With a sound that was both shriek and sob, she threw herself at him. He smelled just the same, felt the same when he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Oh right. They'd had a fight, hadn't they. She hiccuped a little, trying not to laugh. By the spirts she loved him so much. "It's all right. Really. You have no idea."

"It isn't. I was an ass, and then I didn't even tell you I was still alive."

"I don't care, I don't." She leaned back and kissed him. "I missed you so much."

His sigh seemed to come from his very soul. "I missed you, too. It's been a hell of a time."

"You have no idea," she told him again. For a few moments they just kissed and she reveled in having him with her again. "I need to tell you something," she said when they parted. "And I know it will sound mad, but please, please, you have to believe me."

He leaned back and looked at her. "I'm listening."

She told him everything. The vanishing, the rumors that eventually made their way back to her, about Thanos and the Avengers and the Asgardian refugees on Earth. The five long years of struggle and chaos her realm had gone through.

"We finished harvest and I had this massive headache. The kind I've only ever gotten when I tried to lie." They were sitting under her favorite tree in the garden and spirits bless him he was listening just as intently as when she'd started her tale. "So I took a bath and dozed a little. When I woke up Hilde was back and it was five years ago. None of it had happened. No one but me remembers anything."

"You understand how far-fetched that sounds," he said.

"Vividly. Colm humored me, but I can tell he thinks I dreamed it or something. I haven't bothered telling Hilde, she already thinks I'm on the edge of a nervous breakdown because of you."

"The Infinity Stones probably could do that. But why would you remember it?"

She shook her head, resting her head on his shoulder. "I don't know. Because it happened and it's the truth? As much as this timeline is true."

Across from them, a gold-tinged portal opened, and a woman in Asgardian armor stepped out. "Hi," she called. "Sorry to interrupt. Thanos is back, I need you to get your ass back to Midgard."

Loki sat upright. "How in the realms-" He stopped and his mouth thinned. "Thanos?" He looked at Syn. "I have to go."

She was already getting to her feet. "I'm coming with you."

The Asgardian woman gave her a very skeptical look. "I don't really think that's-"

Stifling a sigh, Syn gestured and changed into her armor, complete with her staff. The woman grinned, and Syn knew she'd have no further argument from her.

Loki, on the other hand. . . "Dear heart, I really don't want you to get hurt."

Clearly they were going to have to have a long conversation once this was over. "That's nice, darling, but I don't recall asking your permission." Turning back to the warrior woman, she asked, "How much time do we have? I can rally my guard in a few minutes."

It was decided there was, in fact, time to rally her troops, so after introductions were over, she scolded Loki to wait for her and ran to find Colm.

Whatever was on her face caused him to sit up straight when she came into the armory where he was doing some sort of inspection. "What is it?"

"Thanos is on Midgard. I need as much of an army as you can muster in the next five minutes. Bring them to the garden."

"Done," he said, standing. She loved that he neither asked why, nor questioned the strange staging location. Whatever he thought about the five years, he didn't think she'd lost it. "I've been keeping everyone drilled and prepped for Hela. Just in case. If you give me fifteen I can have a whole brigade, I just need to rouse the next shift so we don't leave Alfheim undefended."

She nodded. "Do it. Worst case, if we can't wait I'll see if we can keep the portal open."

"Got it." He turned and strode down the hall, just shy of a run.

Since she was in the armory, Syn grabbed a bow and quiver before heading back to Loki and the others. The magician operating the portal was more than happy to wait when informed they were mustering not just her guard but the Alfan army. "We need all the help we can get."

"Colm will be here in a few minutes," she told him, then looked at Loki. "Shall we go ahead?"

"I'm taking you to Norway first, I don't want to open a portal on the battle field straight to this world. For safety."

"I appreciate that," she said. Having Thanos show up here was high on her list of nightmares.

On the other side of the portal was a big field with a sea of domed tents. "Welcome to New Asgard," Loki said.

She squinted, scanning the tent city. "Is one of the tents yours?"

"It is. I'm not enjoying it," he said dryly.

"Poor darling. Not meant for roughing it."

"I absolutely am not." He paused. "That's not why I came to see you."

"It's all right if it was a little bit of why," she told him. "I knew you were a pampered prince when I fell in love with you."

"I would happily live with you in a tent." He sounded very sincere. "But since you _have_ a palace. . ."

She stretched up to kiss him. "Let's save the universe first. Then discuss living arrangements."

"Right, right. And here comes the army."

*

There was a portion of this mess that was absolutely Loki's fault. If he'd just left the Tesseract on Asgard to blow up—like he'd told Thor he had—Thanos would probably still be searching the debris field for the Space Stone.

So he was glad to be able to fight him again now. With a weapon he was glad he took from Asgard's vaults. The ice had held Thanos off long enough for the _Statesman_ to evacuate. It was doing great on his minions.

It was especially hilarious when he froze a bunch of them and Syn sent a blast of her magic, shattering them like glass. They thinned their numbers rather efficiently that way. He tried not to get distracted, but it was also very entertaining watching her fight. She was graceful and deadly with the staff as well as her arrows. Even while holding her own, she shouted out orders and encouragement to her troops.

He didn't enjoy the whole possible-end-of-the-universe angle. But he really enjoyed getting to fight with her.

In the end, it came down to Stark wielding the glove to destroy Thanos and his army. It should have destroyed the mortal, but one of his quicker thinking teammates formed a chain to share the power. Syn dragged Loki to join it, along with the nearby Alfan and Asgardian troops. They were both powerful enough to absorb a good deal of it and once the rest grabbed on it was barely a tickle.

He'd put on a bit of a disguise, given his previous experiences in this realm, and touching her dissipated it. He had to sort of hide behind her for the whole time they were standing in the hand-holding chain.

Syn was clearly itching to go heal people but they had to hang on until it was safe to let go. When they were able to, he rebuilt his disguise as she ran off to help the mortal doctors. But she was back a moment later. "Everyone is healed. He must have done it with the glove." She paused and looked at him. "I could live with this look."

He grinned. "You like it?"

She tilted her head, studying him as she might a piece of art. "It's you but. . . softer."

"And that's a good thing?"

"It's not a bad thing. It blends with you better, doesn't make me cross-eyed." She grinned. "It's better than Odin, anyway."

"It doesn't bother you as long as I look sort of similar?"

"That might be too strong a word." She moved her head. "At certain angles there's a bit of double vision, but looking right at you is easier." She smiled as if something just occurred to her. "You look a bit like you would if you were Thor's biological brother. Was that intentional?"

He shook his head. "I haven't even seen it. It's just what my unconscious built, I suppose. My glamour made by me and not Odin, I suppose."

"It's cute. Pity I can't touch you."

"Sorry, dear heart." He could see her looking at something over his shoulder, and when he turned he could see Thor hugging Heimdal. 

There was something very odd about the look on Syn's face, and then she said, "Come with me," and started marching towards Thor and Heimdal. Loki followed. "Your majesty," she said when they reached the two men.

Thor looked at her, then looked at Loki like he hadn't seen him in years. He lurched forward and hugged Loki hard enough to crack a rib. "For heaven's sake," Loki muttered in surprise.

It was five years ago. None of it had happened. No one but me remembers anything.

Loki had no idea how or what had happened, but he was suddenly certain his brother had lived those missing years, too.

Sure enough, when Thor looked at Syn, a question clear on his face, she said, "Five years," quietly and stopped him in his tracks.

"You remember?" his brother asked, clearly shocked.

"I see the truth, in all things," she replied. "I remember what happened and I remember the way it was changed." She hooked a thumb at Loki and added affectionately, "He didn't believe me."

"Bending time has some very odd results," Heimdal said sagely.

"I'm sorry," Thor said to Syn. "I know it's a heavy thing to carry."

She nodded and reached out to squeeze his hand. "I'm glad to have him back." Loki felt oddly embarrassed by this conversation. Too much affection made him uncomfortable.

"They are opening the portals again," Heimdal said. "I'm going to take our people back to Norway. I believe the rest of your friends are going to New York City to await news on Mr. Stark and Captain Rogers."

"I should go with them," Thor said, though he was king of giving Loki a side-eye. Clearly there would be questions later.

"I need to take my people home," Syn said, glancing at Loki.

"I will come with you," Loki said immediately. He looked at his brother in case there might be some sort of discussion that he wanted to start now. Thor had closed his eyes and Valkyrie was rubbing the back of his neck, so Loki figured his attention was elsewhere.

Still managed to sound a little ominous when he said, "We'll talk later."

Loki made a noise of agreement and hustled off after Syn.

"Are you about to be scolded by your brother?" she asked him, tone teasing as they watched her soldiers file back through the portal. This time, they'd be the last through.

"Possibly? I have no idea what went down in the missing five years, but it seems he also remembers them."

"Clearly. I imagine he and his team are the ones who set everything right."

"For the record, by the way, I never said I didn't believe you."

"You were remarkably skeptical, given I can't lie."

He didn't for a second think she was lying. He had been a little concerned there could have been some sort of head injury involved. "I was just digesting. I didn't have very long."

"Mmm. No more doubts?"

Loki chuckled. "Seems patently obvious at this point."

The last of the soldiers trailed into the portal and Syn reached for his hand. "Come home with me?"

"I would absolutely love that."

*

"So you really did live five years that none of the rest of us remember?"

Syn gave Colm an exasperated look. He'd caught her returning her bow to the armory. She'd been hoping to dodge him and go straight to her quarters, but with no injuries or dead among their men, his post-battle duties were minimal. So he had time to ask her silly questions. "Yes, I did. As I've told you."

"I was just a little concerned that you'd snapped."

"It occurred to me, as well. I'm feeling remarkably vindicated."

"Did I live those five years?"

"You did. You were an enormous help. We became even closer friends."

Colm nodded, like that was the answer he expected. "So we have a guest?"

"We do," she replied, hoping she wasn't blushing. She was a grown queen and could have whatever overnight guests she wanted. "For a little while, I should expect."

"Is he staying in his disguise or is he going to be himself?"

"He'll be himself, here. Being on Midgard made him a tad nervous."

Colm nodded. "I'll make sure there are no rumblings."

"I would appreciate it." Impulsively, she stepped forward and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. For today, and many others."

He ducked his head. "Yes, well. I did promise your brother I'd keep you out of trouble."

"You make an admirable attempt," she assured him.

"If he's sticking around, we should give him an official position of some sort."

Hilde had muttered the same thing. "What would be traditional? Consort? Mistress?"

"I think he'd probably prefer Consort." 

"He'd get prettier clothes and jewels as a Mistress." She grinned at Colm's look. "At any rate, I'll be retiring to my quarters until the morning. The realm better be on fire before anyone disturbs me."

He waved a hand. "I can handle fire."

And that was the benefit of having people working for you that you could trust. She gave Colm a little wave and headed down the hall to her rooms. Loki was sitting on the bed, legs stretched out and reading a book, like he lived there.

"Hello, darling," she said, loosening the ties on her leathers. "Comfy?"

"I've always liked your rooms. Where did you get off to?"

"Returning the bow I used. And talking to Hilde and Colm to make sure we're not disturbed."

He raised his eyebrows. "That sounds like an enticing prospect."

"I didn't think you would protest." She let the tunic drop to the floor. "Can I interest you in a bath?"

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. "I am very interested in that."

Smiling, she walked past him to her bathroom, hearing him follow. Once she had the water going, she started rummaging in her cupboard to find salts to toss in. She wasn't injured, but they'd both fought hard and she could feel muscles starting to ache.

Loki hung in the doorway. "You're really not angry with me?"

She tossed an herb satchel into the water, trying to recall what, exactly, she should be mad at him for. "It would have been nice if you'd told me you were alive earlier. But I understand you had other things on your mind."

"Syn. I was gone for months after Asgard blew up."

"Yes. But that was. . . years ago for me. And you have no idea what I dealt with in the interim. If I was like the rest of you and didn't remember, yes, I'd probably be angry with you. But now?" She spread her hands. "All I am is happy you're alive. And that Hilde is alive. And all my people that were gone. And now Thanos is dead and dust and can't hurt any of us anymore."

She could tell he wasn't entirely settled. But instead he said, "I'd like to hear about those years."

Those years was top of the list of things she didn't want to discuss right then. She sat at the edge of the tub and started unlacing her boots. "People died. They turned to ash or they had accidents or they killed themselves. We were cut off from the other realms and didn't entirely know what had happened at first."

He sighed and said, "I'm sorry. I feel like I have some blame to bear for what happened."

"I don't know that anyone expects you to singlehandedly defeat Thanos."

"I took the Tesseract with me when we fled Asgard."

Syn sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. "Of course you did."

"If I hadn't, it would have been in pieces in a planet-sized debris field. Five years later he'd have still been looking for it."

"Or he'd have used the other stones to call to it and found it in five minutes with no resistance." The bath was full, so she turned off the water and stepped out of her pants. "Playing 'what if' and 'if only' will only drive you mad."

"I'm already a little bit mad, so that's probably okay."

She gave him an indulgent smile, climbing into the bath. "Well, before you go full gibbering, care to join me?"

He laughed a little. "Right, right," he said, taking off his own clothes.

She watched him blatantly. He was just as lovely as he'd been in her memories, all pale lean muscle moving with a predator's grace. It was like a punch to the chest, how much she'd missed him.

Loki climbed into the tub. "You're staring."

"I haven't seen you naked in five years. I was seeing how my memory matched up."

"If it's poorly, please don't tell me." He groaned as he sank down into the water.

That sound sent heat down her spine. "You are as much a work of art as ever," she assured him. 

She thought there might be some sort of preening at that, but he just watched her. "I missed you so much."

With a soft sigh, she glided through the water towards him. He wrapped her in his arms and she settled on his lap, pressing her face into the curve of his neck. He smelled the same, a scent she'd barely remembered but was, oh, so familiar. For the moment, she was content just to sit like this and soak him in.

"I told myself you'd be fine," he said finally. "That you were probably better off without me."

She squeezed his arm lightly. "How discouraging to hear you lie even to yourself."

"It was foolish to doubt your grief. I watched the state Thor's woman was in when we thought he was dead—and she, I think, could legitimately chew nails—and realized that you thought I was dead and was probably much the same." He paused. "Though that you would be better without me is still likely true." 

"We can spend the rest of our long lives debating that," she told him, very certain that they would. "But I can assure you, if you died I would not be fine. Even five years later, I was not remotely fine. I lived, I breathed, I did my duty. But I was not fine."

She could feel as much as hear him sigh. "I think you are the first person who has ever truly been mine."

That was profoundly sad. But, she supposed, was true of herself as well. With her brother gone, he was the only person who was entirely hers.

Lifting her head, she pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "I love you."

"I love you," he replied, cupping his hand around the back of her neck and holding her to kiss her properly. Tangling her fingers in his hair, she sank into the kiss, putting all she had into it. She could feel his hands wandering over her skin now, like he was mapping her.

All but purring at the attention, she arched into his touch, shifting in his lap so he could touch everywhere. "We're going to get water all over the floor," he murmured.

"Do you have a plan to prevent this?" she asked, tugging his lip with her teeth.

"Mmm, it's not my bathroom."

She laughed softly. "We'll toss some towels down when we're done."

"My conscience is satisfied," he replied.

"Good," she murmured, kissing him again. His hands continued to wander and she felt the chill of his magic stroke against her, a sharp counterpoint to the hot water surrounding them. It was one of the things she used to dream about in the missing years, the feel of his magic on her skin. She'd thought maybe her mind had exaggerated it, but it hadn't.

She murmured his name, kissing him again. Her magic rose to meet his, cascading sensation over his skin. He shuddered, fingers tightening on her. He reached to cup her face in his hands, urgency seeping into their kiss.

Usually, he took his time, teasing and toying with her. Using his magic to wind her up even more. Syn had no patience for that, at the moment. It had been five years since she'd been with anyone this way, and a part of her was still afraid this was some sort of dream that she would wake up from.

Shifting, she straddled his lap, arching against the hard length of him beneath her. One of his hands went back beneath the water, dipping between her legs, testing more than teasing. He made a small sound when he felt how wet she was. She rocked against his fingers, before sliding her hand down to fit his cock to her entrance and begin sliding down his length. Despite a groan, he was still, letting her take her time. She looked at him and he was watching her with half-closed eyes.

"I missed you," she whispered, rocking on him slowly. "The feel of you. The chill."

He inhaled sharply, lifting up to her. "Only you."

"I should hope so," she teased. He lifted again, hitting a spot that felt particularly good. She squeaked, nails digging into his shoulders and he grinned, repeating it again and again.

He pulled her close and bent his head, nipping a little at the skin of her throat. "Tell me how it feels."

She gasped at the little spark of pain that caused. "Full, I feel. . ." His magic pulsed into her, stroking things he couldn't reach. Syn shuddered, closing her eyes. Instinctively, her magic met his, echoing her sensations into him.

He pressed one hand into the small of her back, urging her to move faster. "Good girl," he whispered.

With his help, she was able to drive him deeper and harder. It was just what she needed, and soon she was clenching around him, body shuddering and pleasure poured through her. He pulled her down, holding her still, as deep as he could get as she felt him come with her.

She buried her face in the curve of his neck and felt tears well up. She didn't have the strength to fight them, embarrassing as it was to be sobbing into his shoulder.

"Shhh," he whispered, rubbing her back. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

She shook her head, because it wasn't his fault, not really, but she couldn't talk enough to say so. 

"I never wanted to hurt you," he told her. "But I kept doing it."

When she caught her breath, she leaned back a little, swiping at her eyes. "Only a couple times were on purpose."

"I don't deserve you," he said, and she could tell he believed that entirely. "But I hope to, someday."

"I love you," she told him, because it seemed the thing to say.

He reached up and rubbed tears off her cheeks with his thumbs. "I love you, too."

"That's all I need. That, everyday. The rest will sort itself."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Well, he's your brother. You don't have to like him, just love him."_

"So I'm being given a title?" Loki asked, looking at the paperwork in front of him.

"Yes." He wasn't entirely sure what Syn's assistant, Hilde thought of him. She was stiff and formal with almost everyone who wasn't Syn, so he probably shouldn't take it personally. But he still got the distinct impression she didn't like him.

"It will make it easier to introduce you to the public," Syn explained. "People like knowing where they stand with officials."

He looked from one to the other. "I'm an official?"

"The consort of the regent is an official position," Hilde explained. "You'll have certain ceremonial duties, take Syn's place at events if she's unable to attend, and be a member of her advisory council, if she chooses to allow it."

"I had no idea Alfan Kings treated their mistresses that well."

"I'm not surprised, considering there hasn't been an unmarried Alfan King in your lifetime."

He chuckled. "Right, right. So, where do I sign?"

Hilde pointed to two spots on the paper, then nodded. "All set. Thank you for your time, sir."

"You are quite welcome. Do you have to be nice to me now?"

Syn sighed. "Loki."

"It means I have to call you sir when being rude to you."

"Hilde."

"You have my respect as a worthy adversary," Loki said.

She sniffed, tucked his paperwork into the stack she always seemed to carry and went on her way.

Syn shook her head. "This will be fun, then."

"Your minions don't like me much."

"Hilde's very protective. I don't think Colm hates you."

"I don't think he hates me, but I'm not sure he'd save me from an assassination attempt, either."

She looked at him innocently. "Oh, I told him the first four or five probably wouldn't stick anyway."

He looked up at her. "You have known both of them a long time. It doesn't concern you at all?"

"I believe they are mad at you for not contacting me after Asgard burned, since they don't have five years of worse to temper the feeling." She leaned over and kissed him. "I hope with time they'll see how happy you make me and come around."

"I'm still mad at me for that," he said. "If that helps."

"See? You already have something in common!" She smiled brightly. "I think it's a good sign Hilde is sassing you. If she was nice to you it would mean she _really_ didn't like you."

"Is it terrible that make complete sense to me?"

"Not at all, I assumed that's how you operated as well."

"Do I get an office? Official tasks?" He tried not to sound too enthusiastic, but he'd actually liked that sort of thing while running Asgard. It made him feel useful.

Syn smiled, clearly seeing the excitement. "You do. And you should probably get along with Hilde long enough for her to help you find an assistant. You'll have schedules and appearances to keep track of."

"I think I should allow her to hire the person of her choosing. I will be unable to resist the urge to hire a sycophant."

"Darling! That's remarkably self aware of you."

He sighed. "I've spent a lot of time contemplating my own stupidity of late."

"Ah." She stroked his cheek gently. "I'll tell Hilde to find you someone suitable."

"And now I can simply be too busy to attend that whole 'groundbreaking' thing my brother wanted me to."

"Groundbreaking?" she asked, suddenly very interested. "Down on Midgard?"

He waved hand. "They're going to symbolically dig a small hole before the earth moving machines can dig the real one. Some sort of ceremonial thing. Thor will probably make a speech."

"Why don't you want to go?"

Because he still felt guilty whenever he looked at the remnants of Asgard. But he wasn't going to say that. "It's a silly ceremony, and one my presence is not required. I'm sure there are plenty of things here that are more important."

She tilted her head, studying him. "You are still Asgardian," she said. "You should go."

"Why are you looking at me like that?" The way she looked when she could see right through him.

"Because you don't get to use your relationship with me to turn your back on your brother and your people. You are still a prince of Asgard, you should attend their ceremony. You saw it destroyed, you should see it reborn."

He rubbed his thumb along his palm absently. "I don't think my brother is going to care if I am there or not."

"Lying," she said softly.

Loki sighed. "You could leave me my dignity sometimes, love."

She stepped closer and touched his arms, as if she wanted to hug him, but still wanted to give him space. "You are free to lie to your advisors, or the nobles, or even your brother. But you don't get to lie to me. Or yourself."

He met her eyes, and after a moment, maybe because she was touching him, he said. "That last one is the hardest. Nearly everything about me is some kind of lie." 

"Ah, Loki." Now she did hug him and he rested his cheek on her hair. "Find something that's real," she told him. "And build from there."

"Right now I think that's you," he mumbled.

"Well, I am a very sturdy foundation."

He inhaled her scent, letting it relax him. Nothing else had done that since the last time he hugged his mother. "You really thing I should go to this dirt digging thing?"

"I do. I'll come with you. Think of it as a diplomatic mission to strengthen ties with Asgard."

"I really do love the way your mind works."

"Why thank you, darling. I'm generally quite fond of yours as well." She kissed his cheek. "What would you like to do with our afternoon?"

His mind immediately went somewhere dirty, and he coughed to keep inappropriate words from coming out. "I. . . didn't have any particular plans."

She smirked. "Would you like a tour of the city?"

"That sounds like a lovely if slightly boring activity."

"You should know your way around," she said. "And then we can move on to more interesting activities."

He slid his hand into hers. "Now you have my full attention."

"Thought it might." She squeezed his hand and together they headed for the front hall.

*

Midgard was muddier and damper than it had been during the battle. Apparently, different areas varied widely in climate, since the realm was so large. Syn's hem was going to be unsalvageable by the time they went home.

Loki had on his disguise, which was still a little odd for her to look at. Thor did make a speech, as predicted, but it was brief. And surprisingly sweet. He looked less. . .burdened, than the last time Syn had seen him.

"He seems well," she murmured to Loki after the actual ground breaking and cheering had died down.

"He's always well," Loki said. "That's how he is. Asgard blew up and he still managed to be cheerful."

"Yes, but now he seems legitimately well."

Loki made a face. "It's probably the woman."

"Ah, yes. We do solve all possible problems."

She could see Loki watching his brother now. He was lucky she found his dance of pretending not to care about Thor amusing more than annoying. "I suppose he does look happier," Loki said finally. "He was kind of odd particularly at the battle."

"I doubt his missing years were any more pleasant than mine," she pointed out. "Worse, perhaps. He lost a great deal."

He looked over at her, reaching a hand out, and then pulling it back. "I don't like this disguise. I can't touch you."

"I know. Perhaps someday we'll figure out how to make it work."

Thor was coming towards them now, and Loki waved. "Excellent hole digging."

"Thank you," Thor replied easily. "I think I found my true calling."

"Seems like there will be a lot of that, won't there?" He glanced at Syn. "She insisted I come."

"I tricked him into it," she said and Thor grinned. "I'm glad to see you and your people settling in."

"Everybody's in a much better mood this time around."

"I could probably be of some assistance with the hole digging," Loki said. "Or other ways my magic might be useful." He sounded reluctant but sincere.

"I appreciate the thought," Thor said, also sounding sincere. "But there's a lot of Midgardians around right now and it's probably best for you to keep a low profile."

"Well. That's convenient, then."

Thor smiled. "I am very glad you came, Loki. Honestly."

"I helped destroy the old Asgard. Might as well welcome in the new one."

"I did ask you to."

Loki inclined his head. "Why you trusted that to me I still do not know."

He lifted a shoulder. "Sneaking around Hela's back to thwart her plans. Seemed like your kind of thing."

"I could have just stolen the Tesseract and left."

"You could have," he conceded. "You could have stayed on Sakar and taken over for the Grandmaster. But you didn't."

Loki fidgeted, like he did when he was uncomfortable. "You did electrocute me before I could."

"You did once chide me for not wising up to your tricks."

"I'm glad you've got the village going," he said. "Truly. My understanding is in the other timeline it was quite sad."

"It was," Thor assured him. "Very grim. This is. . . so much better."

"So is there food and drink of some sort, or are we just going to stand around watching trucks dig holes?"

"I believe a buffet has been cobbled together." He waved them on. "Come with me."

He turned toward Syn. "Shall we?"

She nodded, following into step beside him. "You're right. Not touching is frustrating."

"I suppose we only have to do it for a century or so. Human lives are short."

"True. And when we're in private it wouldn't be as important to keep it up."

It was a bit of a picnic, sandwiches and cold salads. Loki seemed to enjoy making chit chat with the milling Asgardians, many of whom wanted to know how he was doing. It was good for him, Syn thought, for him to see they didn't hate him. That he was still one of them. She had no great love for Asgard, but she knew what it was like to lose everything. She didn't want Loki to lose his people through his own stubbornness.

Thor made his way over to them eventually. She'd watched quite a few people attempt to offer him some manner of drink, which he politely turned down, something she found interesting. Asgardians tended to really like their alcohol.

"Where's your woman?" Loki asked when he got close enough.

"Dealing with sewer pipes," Thor replied.

"I brought you a housewarming gift," Loki said, and Syn looked at him in surprise. "You may want to keep it away from her, though." He held out his hand, and bottle of Alfan bladefruit brandy appeared in it.

He laughed and shook his head. "Thank you, but why don't we put it on the buffet with the ale?"

"It's a rare vintage, it's not for people to pour in plastic cups." He put a remarkable amount of disdain in the word 'plastic'.

Thor looked awkward a moment, then sighed and said, "I don't drink anymore, brother."

Loki blinked. "In solidarity?" he asked, but Syn could tell just by the way Thor said it that it wasn't that. Or health, or anything that mild. She imagined it was much more like the reason Colm didn't drink anymore—because there was an abyss on the other side.

He paused a moment, searching for words. "I found, in the last five years, it didn't agree with me."

She could see Loki considering that, and then he nodded. The bottle vanished back from whence it came in a flash of green. "I'll think up something else for next time."

"I look forward to that with dread."

"Eventually I want to hear about the years I missed," Loki said. "Might be harder to get into sober."

Thor smiled thinly, but just nodded. Loki had asked Syn for more details, and she had mostly avoided the topic. It was hard to explain properly to someone who wasn't there. "Maybe we can do it together," she offered. "Misery's better with company."

"Maybe once things settle down around here," Thor said, gesturing at the crowd.

"Of course. And you and your lady should come visit us in Alfheim. I'd like to get to know you."

It took some time to actually make that visit happen, given how busy they were with the construction. When Thor and Valkyrie finally did visit, it was with a very strange problem. She was, somehow, remembering the missing five years.

It took a bit of questioning over dinner, but she was able to ascertain that, when the Infinity Stones had undone Thanos's work, Valkyrie was on a pegasus enchanted by Thor's mother to survive time travel. It was complicated and involved a mix of very old magic and very Midgardian technology, but that seemed to be the root of the problem.

"Whatever spell Frigga put on her, it clearly made it impervious to time travel, for want of a better term. Which is why neither your scientific method or the magic of the stones disturbed it. If you were in contact with her while time reverted around it. . . it's likely that you were caught in an echo of some sort. Touched by the same magic."

"What does that mean?" Valkyrie asked. "That these really are memories?"

"Memories. Glimpses into an alternate time. I didn't cast the spell on your pegasus, nor was I present for the use of the Stones, so I can't say for sure. But I think it is likely some sort of echo of the life you didn't live."

It was clearly not the answer either of them had been looking for and they excused themselves from the meal rather quickly.

Syn glanced over at Loki, and found him staring after them, an odd look on his face. "He saw our mother," he said quietly.

Oh, this was probably not going to go well. She reached over to touch this hand. "Loki. I'm so sorry."

He yank his hand away and stood up, knocking his chair back with so much force it nearly tipped. "Well, you know. He's the hero. Of course he got to see her." He leaned on his hands on the table. "He told me they made a return trip. He took her with him, and why not? Introduce the new girlfriend, steal a horse. You think he told Mother the last girlfriend got her killed?"

"It would not have changed anything for you if he had," she said gently.

"Yes, I know that, thank you." He straightened and shoved his chair back in. "Since I can still handle my liquor, I'm going to go find some."

He was clearly not in the mood to be comforted, so she let him go. If every family dinner was going to go like this, she was going to either have to lock the wine cellar, or expand it.

Syn figured Loki would go to their rooms, so she went to her office to give him some space. She was just getting into her paperwork when there was a boom that rattled the windows.

Taking a moment to center herself, she got up and went out into the hallway, joining the flood of servants who were rushing to see what had happened.

Colm came out of his office, which was across from hers. "It's from the guest wing," he said. "Fire sensor went off briefly but then stopped. Stay here, I'll go check it out."

"There's a good chance Loki is involved," she said. "I'd like to come along."

"Why do you automatically assume I'm involved in trouble?" Apparently Loki was standing behind her.

"Not all the time," she said, not turning to look at him. "Only when you storm away from dinner with the stated intention of drinking to excess."

"It hasn't been that long. Anyway, that's probably my brother and the lightning. It seems to happen spontaneously when he's angry enough. He told me he's set houses on fire fighting with her."

Colm glanced between them and gave her a skeptical look. "Please go make sure they haven't killed each other," Syn said, suddenly very tired. "I'm almost certain that would cause some sort of political incident." He inclined his head and went off down the hall.

"You don't have to hide in your office," Loki said after a moment.

"I wanted to give you space if you needed it. You didn't seem in the mood to talk." She left the "like an adult" silent.

"There isn't really anything to talk about. It is what it is."

"Mmm." She turned to look at him then, finding him less rumpled than expected. "Are you going to confront your brother?"

"No, as I don't feel like getting electrocuted."

"Solid logic." She reached out and touch his hand with a finger. "Do you feel like company now?"

"I always like your company."

She smiled, since she knew it was the truth. "We should probably wait to find out what your brother blew up."

Colm was back a minute later, and he was smirking. "Lady Valkyrie sends her apologies for the hole that is now in the roof, which was accidental." He cleared his throat. "She answered the door in a sheet."

Loki snorted laughter behind Syn. She tried valiantly to keep a straight face, but didn't think she managed it. "Thank you, Colm. I'm relieved it wasn't anything serious."

"I'll have someone from Maintenance look at it in the morning," he said, and then returned to his office, shaking his head.

Syn looked up at Loki, whose mouth was still twitching in suppressed laughter. It was her undoing, and she leaned on his shoulder, giggling.

He put his arms around her. "Well, good for them, I suppose."

She rubbed his back and sighed, leaning into his sturdiness. "I've always thought that the palace could use more skylights."

"Come to bed?" he asked quietly.

Tipping her head back, she kissed the line of his jaw. "Yes, please."

He tucked her hand around his arm and they went down the hall. "I am still pissed off. But I am happy they're getting along. It was how upset she was—stoicism notwithstanding—when we thought he was dead that made me realize how much I must have hurt you."

She squeezed his arm lightly. "They're very much in love," she commented. "It's sweet. I wasn't sure if I'd like your brother, on the surface, he seems much more like your father than I'm comfortable with."

"Some days I'm not sure I like him," Loki grumbled.

She laughed a little. "Well, he's your brother. You don't have to like him, just love him."

When they reached their room, he sighed said, "I am angry he got to see our mother. The last words I ever spoke to her were to tell her she wasn't really my mother."

"You know. You could ask him if there's any time travel left for you."

"He told me they were going to destroy the time machine once they'd taken all the infinity stones back. Too dangerous, apparently." He flopped down on their fancy loveseat.

"Ah." She sat at her vanity to take her jewelry off and start undressing. "Your mother knew how you felt about her."

He leaned back and looked at the ceiling. "I hope so."

"I'm sure she did, darling. Part of loving you is know how you feel without you having to say it." She shrugged her bodice off and stood, stopping to kiss his forehead as she walked to her closet. "And she had far more experience than I did."

"Last thing I said to you was mean and stupid, too. Before. . . everything."

"It was," she agreed, though she'd be damned if she could remember exactly what it had been. Time healed just about everything. "You're kind of an asshole," she added, changing into her night clothes. "But, you see, that's how I know you love me. People you don't care about you're dismissive to. If you actually get upset enough to snap?" She stepped out of the closet, tying her robe closed. "That's how I knew you loved me."

"I do," he said. "Love you. You, i figured, could tell."

"Always," she assured him. She leaned on the end of the love seat so he was looking up at her. "Even when you're an asshole."

"You are a rare breed," he said quietly.

She smiled and bent to kiss him. "So are you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"He's the only person in the realms who manages to surprise me."_

Before Ragnarok, before he and Syn had that stupid fight, Loki had decided he wanted Syn to be his Queen. In fact that had been most of the _cause_ of that fight. He'd expected her to leave Alfhiem and come help him rule Asgard.

He understood now the position she was in, and why she was so upset. But it had been an impossible situation, and he expected it would have eventually been the end of them one way or the other.

Fate was funny, because now here he was, some manner of consort himself. Syn had made it clear he could remain like that permanently and that was perfectly acceptable. But he could also tell she herself longed for more, somewhere behind her smile.

If they had children—which was an enormous if in and of itself—he had no idea how they would come out. But he was equally certain she didn't care, and wouldn't take that as an excuse.

Loki had no idea how Alfan's handled betrothal, and was pretty sure nearly anyone he asked would deliberately or accidentally tip his hand to Syn, and for once in her life he wanted to surprise her.

It was a question best asked of an upper class man who could keep a secret.

"What can I do for you, Trickster?" Colm asked without looking up from whatever he was writing. It was strange to be called that, but it was literally his official title, an honorific Alfans all used. At least once married he'd have royal titles.

Loki sat in the chair across from his desk. "Are you married, Captain?"

He put his pen down. "I'm not. If you're propositioning me, the answer is no." He looked up. "Pretty as you are."

Loki cleared his throat. "I'm not a fan of _that_ kind of palace drama, thank you. I was just wondering, well. . ." Out with it, man. "What are standard Alfan betrothal customs?"

If that surprised the man at all his face didn't show it. "When a courtship has reached that point, the gentleman usually bestows the woman with a series of betrothal gifts. Two or three is usual, though I've heard some families go as high as seven. The first one is usually a decorative piece, in the woman's house colors. The second is something in the man's house colors and the last is a piece of jewelry. Usually a necklace or brooch. The lady is free to refuse any of the gifts, if she doesn't want to marry the man in question, allowing them to break their courtship without embarrassment. The initial gifts should be given through an intermediary, usually someone from one of the families. The jewelry is given directly from the gentleman."

That was workable. He'd probably need to buy them somewhere else, he was pretty conspicuous here. Maybe he'd go down to Midgard. "That is very helpful. Thank you."

Colm inclined his head. "You're welcome. She'll be delighted."

"Thank you," he said again. "I wasn't sure if you'd have. . . objections of some sort."

"Objections? No. She's clearly happy with you. I'd be far more likely to murder you in your sleep if you were to leave her."

"That I have no intention of doing, I assure you." He paused a long moment, then said, "You and her are close."

"I consider her a sister," he said, studying him a moment as if weighing up his worth. "Her brother asked me to take care of her. When he died."

There was something about the way he said it that took Loki a moment to understand. That hadn't been a battlefield promise to one's commander. It was not idle, and was a loss that carried great grief. He considered Syn a sister because she should have been, in a fairer world. "I want only to be able to help with that." 

"Good," he said simply. As if they'd come to some sort of agreement. "Good luck in your courting."

"Would you be willing to deliver one of the gifts for me?"

"It would be my honor," he said sincerely.

Loki thanked him, and stood. "I'd venture to guess you are the most likely person in entire realm to have figured out how to talk around the family curse."

"You'd guess right. Though I'd still suggest you move quickly. She's very good at ferreting out a secret."

"Indeed. Please let her know that I have gone down to Midgard to see my brother." 

He nodded. "I'll pass it on."

Loki put on the glamour he had to wear down there, and transported himself to his brother's village. It was kind of a chaotic construction site, but he could see what it would become. Talking to a few people, he was pointed in the direction of a large tent full of equipment that seemed to be some sort of woodshop. Thor had some long piece of wood spinning in a lathe.

"I didn't know you'd become a carpenter."

"Well, I have been known to swing a hammer now and then," he said, not looking up from his work.

"What are you making?" Loki asked. 

"A bed. For me and Valkyrie." He was apparently satisfied with his lathing, straightening and blowing sawdust off of it. "To what do I owe the visit?"

"I need to make some purchases," Loki said. "Probably in the nearest large city."

Thor looked over at him, interest lifting his brows. "Purchases?"

"I need some household items." He cleared his throat. "And a necklace."

Now interest turned to utter delight. "Can I come?"

"That is why I came here. I don't know how to purchase things in this realm."

Thor clapped him on the shoulder, tossing his bedpost to one side. "Come. I'll get my credit card."

They walked together to his residence, which was now some sort of metal box. He called it a trailer. "Still has its roof," Loki commented.

"We don't fight as we used to," Thor commented. "And we're working on when it happens with the other thing."

"I don't wish to speak ill of the dead, but I can't believe father didn't tell you your powers were innate and teach you how to manage them without the hammer."

"Having met our sister, I can see how he might have convinced himself it was in my best interest to put limits on my power. I'm not saying it was a good idea, but I can see the possible logic behind it." He glanced over at Loki. "Do you have trouble losing control of your powers? I imagine between you and Syn you would have experience."

"You mean like the incident in the throne room?"

Thor made a face. "So it does happen even with training?"

"I was maintaining a very complicated illusion, and quite literally fighting Syn's magic to do it. While we were doing something very distracting." He watched Thor dig in a drawer looking for his wallet. "Generally we don't damage things when we play with magic, but it's happened."

He found a leather billfold and tucked it in his pocket. "I don't suppose there's any advice you could give me on how to maintain control?" He sounded rather deliberately casual as they strolled back outside.

"I've never lost control of it if I didn't call it in the first place." They walked in the direction of a row of parked vehicles. "Does she have an electricity fetish or something?"

"No, it just. . . seems connected to my emotions. High emotional state calls it. Hence the fights and sex. Though, it's only with her it happens. I fought with others over the years and never brought the lightning down."

"Since you lost the hammer?"

"Yes. I was able to call it on purpose when fighting Thanos. But emotion was involved in that, as well."

"Perhaps not all emotions are worthy of lightning. Perhaps they don't run deep enough. Syn is so deep in my bones I think if I lost her I'd bleed to death."

They climbed into one of the jeeps, Thor behind the wheel. He looked thoughtful as they pulled out of the lot and headed for the main road. "It never hurts her. The lightning. Like if recognizes her."

"It almost certainly does." Honestly, his brother had been taught absolutely nothing about how magic worked. Loki knew Odin was a shitty parent, but this was ridiculous. "Just as much as the rest of you does. My magic knows Syn, and hers knows me."

He nodded. Then, quietly, he said, "No one ever told me any of this."

"I'm gathering that, yes. You should come to Alfheim when your construction is done. They have whole training courses about it, and Syn knows more than I do." He watched the scenery a moment. "I'm surprised you didn't ask Mother."

Thor glanced at him, clearly noting his tone. "It didn't come up. We had other things to discuss."

"I imagine you did," was all Loki said in reply, suddenly sorry he brought it up. "Anyway, Syn wants you to visit again, anyway. We'll put you in a room with a skylight."

"I appreciate not being downgraded to sleeping outside," he said with a soft chuckle.

"We could also put you in separate rooms," Loki replied. "Apparently."

"I think I'd prefer the garden."

"Syn will never forgive me if you fry all of her plants."

They drove into the closest Midgardian town and spent most of the day shopping. It was a new kind of Hel Loki had not previously contemplated. He and his brother's tastes were more or less opposite, but he knew how to navigate paying and dealing with the sales people so he was useful.

He found the first two gifts, as proscribed. The necklace was proving to be a more difficult task. Traditional Asgardian betrothal necklaces were more ostentatious than anything sold here, but that wasn't really Syn's style, anyway. 

Eventually, Thor gently suggested they head back and try again in a few days. "A bigger city, like London or Paris might have more selection." Loki wasn't happy about it. But he did have his first two gifts and those would buy him time to find the last one.  
Thor drove them back to New Asgard, parking near his metal home. "Before you leave, there's something I need to give you."

"I'm concerned by how serious you sound." 

Thor waved off the comment, heading into the building. Loki followed cautiously. His brother rummaged in his desk a moment, producing a black velvet bag, which he then handed over to Loki.

"This isn't going to stab me, right?" he said, and Thor rolled his eyes. He'd certainly deserve it. He opened the bag and shook it's contents into his hand.

It was an ornate necklace, designed to look like vines and flowers, set with a variety of gems. It was finely wrought, some of the gold pulled and twisted thin as thread. Clearly expensive and precious, without being gaudy. Loki had clear memories of his mother wearing it at state events in the spring.

"The second time I saw her, Mother slipped that in my pocket," Thor said. "I didn't notice until we were home. I thought it was a hint I should make Valkyrie an honest woman but we were still in an awkward place. . . now I wonder if she knew you'd need it more than me." He shrugged. "You were always her favorite."

The ache of the loss swelled. Sometimes Loki wondered if it would ever go away. It took him a moment to speak, and then all he managed to do was rasp, "Thank you." 

Thor nodded. "You're welcome. Good luck. With Syn. She's the best thing that ever happened to you."

"I agree with that 100%." He stroked the necklace a moment before asking, "Are you happy?"

Thor considered it a moment. "I am. I have purpose. Valkyrie and I are doing well. It's a far better outcome than I had expected to have."

"I can only imagine what all those years were like." He knew Thor didn't like talking about it—Loki had only heard pieces—so he didn't press. "Alfan tradition is that one of the gifts be given by my family. And I was wondering if you would do so. As you are the only family I have left."

He smiled, looking a little choked up himself. "It would be my honor." Then he reached out and hugged him.

It was that kind of day. Loki was happy to hug him back.

*

It had been a very long day. Syn had overseen the opening of a new school, attended a meeting with the fishing guild regarding new regulations, and had a very long meeting with her finance officers debating a possible tax increase. All she wanted out of life was a hot bath and private meal with Loki. He was nowhere to be found, however, and given her stress level, she was trying hard not to be suspicious of that.

She went back to her rooms, because at least she could manage the hot bath. There was a knock on her door not five minutes later.

_Something had better be on fire. No, don't think that. It's an actual possibility._

"Enter," she called. She'd started undressing, but was still presentable enough for anyone who would knock on her door.

The door swung open and Colm stepped in. He was holding a wrapped package. The wrapping paper had words scrawled on them. She couldn't read it, but they were Latin letters, the kind they used on Midgard. And, honestly, he looked more amused than she thought she'd seen him since Boe died. "Your Majesty. I come bearing a gift."

Her brows lifted. "A gift? From who?"

"An admirer who seeks your favor." 

He held out the package and she took is cautiously. She had never received a courtship gift from anyone, being too busy running a revolution and then being queen. But she had seen plenty of couples go through the ritual. Once, a very long time ago, she'd listened to her brother fret about whether or not he should buy some for Colm.

Ignoring that little twinge of pain she turned the box over in her hands "Is this a betrothal gift?"

"Indeed it is."

Tears choked her throat and she blinked rapidly a few times before she was able to peel away some of the paper and open the box. Inside, was a silk scarf, in a blend of blues and greys. "Did you tell him what to get?" she asked, voice thick.

"He asked me what the betrothal customs were here. I told him."

She nodded and pulled the scarf out of the box, running the silk through his hands. "He's the only person in the realms who manages to surprise me."

Colm chuckled. "Surprised me, too." He sat in one of her chairs. "He came into my office and asked me if I'm married. Which for a moment I feared was going to launch an awkward jealously based conversation about my relationship with you."

She laughed, with made a few tears spill out. "I'd have paid a great deal to be a fly on the wall for that conversation."

"He clearly adores you. So I helped him." He nodded a little. "Enough gloom. The wars are over. Have an extravagant wedding at Midsummer and put some life back into these halls." 

"I think I will." She shook out the scarf and tied it loosely around her throat. "He has excellent taste, doesn't he?"

"I will give him that, yes." Colm paused. "He's hiding in my office, shall I send him up?"

"By all means."

He inclined his head as he left. "Congratulations, my Queen."

"Thank you," she said, giddy and smiling. "General."

Loki was back five minutes later, standing in the doorway twisting his fingers together. 

Scarf still tied around her throat, she went over and kissed him. "Hello, my darling."

"Hi." He touched the scarf. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," she assured him. "It's perfect."

He pulled her close enough to kiss her. "The instructions about what to buy were vague, so I had to guess."

"Something to wear is an excellent choice for the first gift. Then the lady can wear it and show off to her friends." She kissed him again. "But there are no wrong answers. Anything you would normally buy a lover is fine."

"You are something entirely different than a lover," he whispered.

"I should hope so." She tangled her hands in his hair. "I was going to have a bath. Would you care to join me?"

He grinned, backing her up without letting her go. "Sounds like fun."

"And then a meal," she added. Her hunger wasn't enough to outweigh her ardor, but it probably would be by the time he was done with her.

He kissed her neck. "And then we'll turn in early."

"We have an agreement."

Syn got her next gift four days later. She had been expecting it. She had not expected Thor to show up in her throne room to deliver it.

He did it with all the pomp and circumstance she'd expect from an Asgardian king, clearly having a delightful time.

"I can't believe he roped you into this," she said, taking the package from him, unable to stop her grin.

"I was told it was traditional to have a family member deliver it."

"It is," she conceded. "It's you opportunity to posture about dowry arrangements."

"I would accept a selection of saplings, seeds, and plant cuttings from your garden, to plant in our new home." 

She smiled. "That can most definitely be arranged." She untied the bow and opened the box. This one was significantly heavier than the scarf, so she was expecting some sort of decoration or art piece. So she wasn't surprised to find a sculpture of a snake, twining around a globe of what looked like green jade. The snake was made of an dark golden metal, finely worked to give the appearance of rippling scales. Its eyes were green stones and its mouth was closed in an almost smug smile. "Spirits," she said, hefting the sculpture to eye height so she could study it better. "He's good at this."

"Shopping with him was a trial, I assure you."

"Well, I thank you for your sacrifice. It's lovely." She looked up at him. "Would you care to stay for lunch?"

"I believe I would enjoy that. Valkyrie and I very much enjoyed the food the last time we were here."

"You could bring her up, if you like. The more the merrier."

He sighed. "She's not in the best of moods today, I'm giving her some space."

"Oh." It was probably none of her business. "Well, we're more than happy to have you."

"I believe Loki is lurking around here somewhere." He eyed the sculpture. "Unless he's in that."

"If he was, my magic would have turned him back into himself." She gestured and a little spark of magic went dancing off to find him. "He'll meet us for lunch. Come." Toting her new sculpture, she led him to the dining room.

"Did he ever tell you those stories? He used to disguise himself as things, and then stab me."

"He's mentioned. My brother used to leave things in my bed, or in my closet."

"I hope you will do your best to keep him in line."

"To a degree," she agreed. "But the mischief is part of why I love him."

"Well, there's mischief and there's trying to take over a planet."

"I'll allow that only on very special occasions." She sighed and added pointedly, "He is Asgardian, however. It may be a lost cause."

He inclined his head in acknowledgement. "I am sorry for what my father did to your realm."

She nodded, accepting it. "It was a long time ago. I look forward to a new age of cooperation between our realms."

"Asgard is less a realm than a colony at this point, but I appreciate the sentiment." He paused. "There were non-conquest protections that Asgard did provide. I no longer have anything remotely like the population needed to provide aid or mount defenses against a major threat. You have the largest standing army in the realms."

"I do, yes. Are you asking if I'm willing to step in as the realm police department?"

"If someone calls for help, you are in the best position to answer."

"We are not the force that Asgard was," she said. Her army was larger than Vanaheim's and more trust worthy that Muspelheim's, but not the overwhelming force that the Asgardians had kept. "But if we were needed I would send them."

"Thank you," he said with a smile. 

"My pleasure."

Loki was waiting at the table when they arrived, looking nervous again, which was hilarious. "I invited your brother to lunch," she told him, kissing him. "A reward for delivering this lovely sculpture."

"I'll try not to stab him during the meal," Loki replied, deadpan, and it made Thor laugh.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Be my wife. Spend a thousand years keeping me out of trouble and trying to use me to warm your toes even though it's probably pointless."_

The necklace was burning a hole in his pocket, and yet he couldn't seem to give it to her.

It had been four days since Thor had brought Syn the snake - which now sat prominently on her desk. Loki knew it was past time to give her the necklace and make it official. If for no other reason than the longer the staff had to plan the wedding, the better. But every time he thought of doing it, he talked himself out of it. The weather wasn't right, she was too busy, _he_ was too busy. It was ridiculous and he knew it.

The worst part was _everyone_ knew. The first gift was quiet. His brother had a made a ceremonial production and shown up in the throne room in his armor and cape and helmet. So now the entire palace was aware, and waiting. Hilde was starting to give him extra side-eye. 

At this rate, Syn was going to start hinting herself. He clearly needed to just do it. Plan something big and elaborate. Something worthy of a queen. Tomorrow was a day of rest, she'd have most of the day free. He could do it then.

After supper, they retired to the den in the royal apartments. He had some reports to catch up on and Syn was reading one of her melodramatic novels. They sat across from each other, her feet propped in his lap, bare toes working under his tunic to warm up. He found himself glancing at her as he tried to read. It was moments like this, when they were quiet and calm, that felt the least real. It was the sort of familiar domesticity he'd never thought to want, never dreamed he'd have.

"Marry me," he said, the words just falling out of his mouth before he could stop them.

She jumped a little, looking up at him. "I-what?"

He sighed. "I keep wanting some big. . .thing. To make it be absolutely perfect. Worthy of you, I suppose. But I can never quite think of something."

"Oh." She closed her book. "Most of my life is big and elaborately planned. I rather like that you and I can be. . . simple together."

Smiling a little, he opened his hand and called the necklace, watching it materialize in a shimmer of green. 

Her eyes widened, face lighting up. "Oh!" She stood and came closer to look at it. "Loki. It's beautiful."

He swallowed as there was a lump in his throat again. "It was my mother's."

She looked at his face. If she was confused as to how he'd managed to get a hold of it, she clearly decided now wasn't the time. Instead she swept her hair to the side and turned her back to him. "Put it on me?"

He put it on, hooked the clasp, and kissed the back of her neck. "Marry me," he whispered. "Be my wife. Spend a thousand years keeping me out of trouble and trying to use me to warm your toes even though it's probably pointless."

She turned in his arms. "It would be my genuine pleasure, Loki."

He pulled her into his lap. "I adore you, I do."

Cupping his face, she kissed him. "Thank you for my courtship. It was lovely."

He held her close for a few moments, then said, "I don't know if we'll be able to have children."

"I know." She stroked his hair. "We'll worry about that when it comes to it."

"For the moment, I understand there is an elaborate wedding to plan for. . .Midsummer?"

"Yes. Are there any Asgardian traditions you would like to honor?"

"I will think about it." He had a lot of negative associations with Asgardian ceremony at this point.

"You can wear a ridiculous helmet," she teased.

He felt himself grin. He did love his helmet. "Oh, well, of course."

She gave his hair a little tug. "It'll make for good handles on the wedding night."

"Now you have my attention," he said, bending down to kiss her.

Winding her arms around his neck, she tugged him and they toppled onto the rug.

The wedding planning started the next day. Clearly the palace staff had begun after one of the early betrothal gifts. Hilde barged into his little office in the morning with armloads of paperwork and two new assistants that were now his.

"Isn't this usually the bride's responsibility?" he asked, looking at the vast array of decisions that would be asked of him.

"The bride has a realm to govern." Hilde leaned over and tapped one of the bound leather books she'd brought. "Start here."

Well. If there was one thing Loki knew how to do, it was throw an ostentatious party.

Inter-realm politics and the guest list, however, was a completely different beast. And Syn had opinions.

"I understand it's a courtesy thing and he won't show up, but what if he _does_? I can't imagine how awkward that would be. 'Hello, I'm your cousin, sorry I killed the last king'." He looked over at Syn. "You know I am, technically, the rightful King of Jotunheim."

She tilted her head. "I think that makes you the first man to be a king on three different realms. We can't not invite the Jotun royal family. I know Asgard treated them like boogey men but we actually have a lucrative trade arrangement with them and I'm not endangering it because of family drama." She looked back at her work. "Gyllir is very polite. Maybe you can win him over with tales of Asgard's destruction."

"Speaking of, we are not inviting Surtur. I'm not transporting him and my brother certainly isn't going to send the bifrost to Muspelheim so he has no way of getting here."

She pointed her pen at him. "Fair enough." She looked over at him. "Do you want to invite any of the Asgardian people?"

"I would. Let me talk to Thor about who would be appropriate. Oh, I almost forgot. Apparently he's throwing some sort of harvest festival, it's that time of year on Midgard. We've been invited."

"As long as it's not the same week as the wedding, I'd be delighted."

"No, no, it's couple weeks from now. He mentioned they seem to be inadvertently copying some of your traditions. There are going to be a number of weddings in the middle of it."

"Our traditions are heavily based on agriculture and the seasons, it makes sense they'd mirror them. Ask if there's anything we can bring for the party. Wine. Some elk."

"Perhaps more plants? He did mention something about ceremonial helmets. I'm sure he'll break out his for the wedding ceremony."

Syn raised an eyebrow. "Is he getting married?"

Loki laughed. "Heavens, no. He's just officiating." He sighed, looking at her again. "If my brother had interest in getting married, you likely would not have that necklace. My mother gave it to him." He paused. "Though, in truth, I expect the disinterest isn't _his_, per se."

She tilted her head. "Really? How odd. She does seem to truly love him. And you said she grieved him when she thought he was dead."

"You can love someone and not wish to be tied down. I don't actually know her that well, but I do know him. He likes that traditional stuff. But he says he is happy. I just think if he thought she'd take that necklace, he wouldn't have given it to me." 

After a moment of silence, she said, "I didn't expect you to ever want to get married. People can surprise you."

"I have always wanted to be a King."

She laughed. "I see. Using me for my titles."

"And I adore you. That part, too."

"That's more like it." She leaned over to kiss him. 

When they went down for the festival, he brought the Casket of Ancient Winters with him, so he could make ice sculptures. As soon as Syn saw the one he made of himself, she insisted he take it down. 

"Make one of Hela," she suggested. "People can throw axes at it."

"That is a brilliant idea." He made one of Hela, and then of Surtur, and then of Thanos, with his head at his feet—just for his brother. The Asgardians embraced the axe throwing contest with gusto. A great many of them, he noticed, were women.

"I'd have you make one of the Grandmaster, but no one would get it but us." Valkyrie had come to stand and watch beside him. He was surprised to notice she was in the sort of dress Syn would wear.

"Inside jokes are the best kind," he said, before adding, "You look nice," in what he hoped was a sincere tone.

"Thank you," she replied, just as nicely. "Seemed a day to look Asgardian. And not just because of this." She gestured at her neck. Which had a very fancy ruby necklace on it.

Shock made his speechless for a moment. "I- does that mean what I think it does?"

Now it was her turn to look surprised. "He didn't tell you?"

"No. Though I've been busy planning my own wedding." Other than confirming he and Syn were coming to the festival, he and Thor hasn't spoken much in that last week or so.

"Aren't we all so domestic," she replied. She looked over at him. "Thanks for the gold faucets in the house," she said. "Made me laugh." Not long after his betrothal, Heimdal had called and asked him to come down and help the rest of the Asgardians finish Thor and Valkyrie's house while they were on a mission with the Avengers. He couldn't resist a small prank.

"I'm glad my thoughtful gesture was appreciated," he said, deliberately prim, which made her chuckle.

"We're going to be family now, we should probably get along."

"I'm sure Thor would appreciate that. Though the occasional murder is tradition in our family, so 'getting along' is a loose term."

Across from them, a woman chopped off the head of the Hela ice sculpture and proudly held it aloft. Valkyrie grinned, and clapped Loki on the shoulder before striding towards her.

Now he really needed to talk to his brother.

Thor was by the buffet tables, telling what appeared to be a hilarious story to a bunch of probably half-drunk Asgardians. He waved when he saw Loki, grinning from ear to ear in a way Loki hadn't seen in a long time. 

He waved back, something about the whole thing feeling nostalgic of their youth.

His brother wrapped up his tale and wandered over to Loki. "If you're looking for your betrothed she's entertaining some of the children with a magic show."

"That sounds like her." He gave Thor a side eye. "Speaking of betrothals."

He grinned widely. "You saw Valkyrie?"

"I did, and was quite surprised."

"Really? She had I have certainly had a lot to work out, but it was always my hope we'd get there eventually."

"You gave me Mother's necklace."  
Thor blinked. "Well. . . yes. You needed it and I thought she'd want you to have it."

"She gave it to you. I just, well, I guess I assumed you gave it to me because you didn't want it sitting around in your dresser drawer for your girlfriend to find and panic."

After staring at him a moment, Thor shook his head slowly. "Loki. I loved our mother. I miss her everyday. I went to her for advice and comfort. But she was yours, from the time we were children. Maybe if they'd been honest about how the lightning worked or Father hadn't seen me as a way to erase his sins it would have been different, but that's how it was. She adored you and I only wish she could have seen what you've become. I gave you the necklace because I thought she'd want you to have it. She would have been so happy to see you getting married."

There was that lump in his throat again. He was absolutely not going to cry in public, but it was a near thing. Finally he said, "I was so angry at you for getting to say goodbye."

"I'm sorry," Thor said quietly. "I should have thought to ask you and I didn't. It was selfish."

"I can't fathom your Avenger friends would have let me, even you had."

"It would have been a very awkward conversation," he agreed. "But I could have tried."

"Well," he said. "I appreciate the thought."

He inclined his head and looked out at the crowd, arms crossed. "We've both managed to find happiness. Love. It's enough to make one believe in fate."

"Hell of a road, wasn't it?"

"Definitely some twists and turns I could not have seen coming."

After a pause, he said, "You could have given me the opportunity to hold dowry negotiations, after your highway robbery with Syn's. Who needs that many plants?" Teasing his brother felt exceptionally normal, and that was kind of nice.

"Currently the only things Valkyrie owns is a sword and two winged steeds. And I was already planning to give you two the first colt."

He ducked his head. "Thank you. Syn will adore that."

"I'm glad to hear it. I want us to have a good relationship." Thor grinned. "Our children can play together."

Loki didn't know if that would be possible for him and Syn. But he found he liked the idea just the same.

One never knew what the future would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay. There's one more chapter, which is an epilogue set 500 years in the future.


	9. Epilogue

_Five hundred years later._

The realms were surprisingly capable of looking after themselves. Syn's job was mostly going to summits and reminding them all to play nice. Thor never needed to ask for Alfheim's army, but he did contribute manpower to it anyway, rotating through Asgardians on an exchange program of sorts, so they could keep their skills up while living on Midgard. Alfheim eventually had an entire aerial unit on he herd of winged horses, after Valkyrie had moved her herd due to political issues at home.

There were intermarriages and people traveling back and forth constantly. It felt almost inevitable that when Midgard society rotated around to one of those periods where everyone seemed at war with each other, the easiest thing was for Thor and Valkyrie to pack up New Asgard and move somewhere with more compatible lifespans. They had over three thousand Asgardians now, half of them children. 

They built the town in advance, this time, so no one had to live in tents.

"I've had another unit request Asgardian-style helmets," Colm told Syn during her morning briefing. "It's becoming a fad."

"By the spirits." She scrubbed her hands over her face. "Fine, but stick to wings and such, they're less of a hand hold."

He made a note. "It's probably my fault. I hear that a lot when I try to talk them out of it. 'But _you_ have one'. It sits on a shelf, I wore it once, because arguing with my mother-in-law is like trying to turn a river." 

"You looked quite dashing at your wedding," she assured him. Colm had grumbled and frowned at the intermarrying right up until he fell for the rather dashing farrier who'd come with the pegasus herd. Syn loved Oddvar, but she agreed with Colm's assessment of his mother. "Even Loki admits they're mostly ceremonial, though he has been known to smack and enemy down with his."

"I've seen head butting with them." He looked up. "All of the preparations for midsummer are in place. They tested the redesigned bonfire structure and it can now be lit by lightning without blowing up."

"Thor will be delighted. Do we have any more couples signed up for the group wedding?"

"No, but there are plenty. I think any more and we'd need the lottery." 

During the height of the intermarrying they'd had to have lotteries for the midsummer ceremonies, simply to ensure the festival would end at some point. It have been over a decade since they'd needed one, but a new boom seemed to be coming since Asgard had moved in. "Keep me posted, in any case. Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of at the moment."

"Off to my next appointment, then," she said, gathering her things.

Syn stuck her head in her husband's office on her way past and was surprised to see him sitting at his desk, writing something. . .wearing a flower crown.

"Was there a coronation I wasn't invited to?" she asked, leaning on the door jamb.

"What?" He looked up. "Oh. Frigga's making flower crowns for midsummer, she's around here somewhere." He put his pen down. "She made me promise I would keep it on, and reminded me she would know if lied."

"She's been abusing that, hasn't she." They were still discovering the interesting ways their magics had blended in their daughter. She could tell when others were lying but she seemed able to fib, or at least bend the truth, better than Syn ever could. "I have a meeting with his highness, if you care to join me."

Loki's eyebrows went up. "Something up?"

"Not as far as I know. He's just due for his morning snack."

He smiled and stood. "I'll come say hi."

Impulsively, she held his hand as the walked to their private wing and into the nursery, where the nanny was playing with Frigga, Boe in her lap. "There's Mama!" she said brightly, holding the baby up to her. "He was just started to fuss."

"My timing is impeccable as always," Syn said, grinning as Boe squealed.

"Papa, you're still wearing your crown!" Frigga sounded very excited about this.

"I promised you, didn't I?"

She grinned, running over to him. Loki scooped her up so she could inspect said crown while Syn settled in her favorite chair to nurse Boe. The baby settled happily, chubby fist clenching around her necklace as he ate.

"I meant to tell you," Loki said. "I talked to my brother, he has a friend of his from Midgard he's invited to midsummer. She's human but apparently immortal. The one who flew through the ship when we were fighting Thanos."

"Ah yes, the blonde. It will be nice to see her again."

"He said she'd contribute to the light show." Every year, Loki made complicated ice sculptures of monsters from mythology or old enemies for people to throw axes at, and Thor made a lightning display in the sky. Syn and Loki had been working with him for many years learning how to control it better, and now he could make nearly anything out of it.

"I look forward to that." Boe had fallen asleep and she tucked her breast back into her bodice, lifting him up to her shoulder to burp him before putting him down. "Colm said if we have any more couples sign up for weddings we'll need to implement the lottery again. Clearly, the Asgardian move has stirred up some romances."

"I know they had a stressful few years before the move," Loki said. He shook his head. "Midgard is like that. I'm glad they're here. Boe should grow up with them around if he's going to rule them one day." 

"Already plotting for him, darling?"

"I am but a bystander," he replied. "I recall I had to resign all claim to Asgard's throne in order to marry you."

"Such a hardship for you," she teased, settling Boe in his cradle.

He put Frigga back down, and leaned over to kiss Syn's temple. "I have quite a few things to do before tomorrow, I'll see you later?"

"Of course." She waved him off and turned to Frigga. "I'm due in the kitchen to finalize the menu for tomorrow. Would you care to come help taste things?"

"Will there be sweets?"

"There will definitely be sweets."

Midsummer was Alfheim's largest festival, and the largest celebration was the one Syn held. During the years of the Steward, he'd intermittently banned it, so under Syn's rule they became quite elaborate. People poured into the capital, occupying every hotel room and others—including quite a number of the Asgardians—were camped at the outskirts. 

Syn took breakfast in her room while getting dressed. Loki had run off early to meet with his brother and handle any last minute emergencies. Her dress this year had to be specially designed so she could wear and feed Boe in it. If he got fussy or overstimulated he'd go with his nanny, but she'd wanted him with her as much as possible to enjoy the day.

Frigga came traipsing in as Hilde was helping get the baby settled. The little girl was in her own ornate dress, complete with handmade flower crown. "Ready yet?" she asked, dancing from one foot to the other.

"Patience, princess, I'm almost there."

"Papa went to make the ice sculptures. Somebody asked to make one of Papa and Uncle Thor's Papa, and Papa said no, and then I asked why and he said because some of the Asgard people would be upset that everyone was throwing axes and I asked, no, _why_ do they want to do that in the first place? And then Papa started to say something about him being a bad man and Uncle Thor picked me up off his lap and put me on the floor. Papa said he'd explain later but I think it was a lie."

If Valhalla was real, Syn sincerely hoped Loki's mother was looking down from it and laughing her ass off at his inability to tell even the whitest of lies without being called on it. "Do you remember how I told you my Papa and Papa's Papa were kings of different realms?" Frigga nodded solemnly. "Papa's Papa and my Papa had a big fight and my Mama and Papa died. A lot of people still blame Papa's Papa for that, and that's why they would want to throw axes at his sculpture. But a lot of Asgardians remember Papa's Papa as a good king and would be upset if they saw other people throwing things at him. Make sense?"

"Uncle Thor is a good king. Are he and Papa going to fight?"

"No," Syn assured her. "They love each other and work together. They learned lessons from our fathers and will do better."

"I will try not to fight with Boe, either," Frigga said solemnly. Alfan law had required Loki to formally give up all claim to the Asgardian throne to marry her—something Syn had found very amusing. But it could pass through him, and he'd worked out something with Thor, who didn't have and didn't seem likely to have any children, for Boe to be their heir. 

"Good," Syn said. "And your Papa and Uncle Thor, Aunt Valkyrie, and I will all try to teach you two how to work together, like we do."

"Can we go yet? I want to get a sweet bun before they are all gone."

"Yes, I'm all ready." She kissed the top of Boe's head and held her hand out for Frigga to take so they could go meet up with the others.

The early risers tended to get going at dawn, so the festival was in full swing when Syn and the children got out there. At the end of the field nearest the castle, there was a tented royal pavilion where they could sit and eat at watch the various games. The large group wedding that would take place in the afternoon would be in front of it. She could see Loki and Thor sitting in a few of it's chairs. 

Frigga went to join some of the children's games and Syn made her way up to the pavilion. "Gentlemen," she said in greeting.

"Hello, dear heart," Loki said, holding his arms up for Boe, who had begun squirming and reaching out for his Papa.

"Good morning," Thor said. "Valkyrie went over to the woman with the booth doing elaborate hair braiding. Apparently it's fancier than anything I can do." He sounded faintly miffed about that.

She handed the baby over before sitting in the chair next to her husband. "Frigga came to ask me about the Odin sculptures. I believe you're off the hook for future explanations."

"Oh, thank you," Loki said. "I was a moment away from feeling compelled to tell her one grandfather murdered the other."

"I was able to avoid the word murdered, but only just. She promises to get along with Boe when the time comes."

"That won't be necessary after all," he replied.

"Loki!" Thor said, kicking him in the leg.

Loki sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm. . . holding the baby. Truth Curse starts on day one."

Syn grinned. "Thor, you can't expect him to keep secrets from me. Congratulations."

"I didn't expect him to keep it for week, just until my wife got back from the hair braider." He returned the grin. "And thank you. It's been quite the surprise."  
"I would think so. I suppose we'll have to make sure Frigga and her cousin get along."

"I feel like we can manage that," Loki said. 

"Removing your ability to lie certainly helped our relationship," Thor commented, and Loki made a face.

"I was just thinking that somewhere your mother must be absolutely delighted by this turn of events."

Thor's laugh was so loud it boomed out into the field, and Loki rolled his eyes. "She'd be happy we haven't killed each other, yes."

Boe liked his uncle's laughing, giggling along with him. Syn grinned. "In parenthood, sometimes it's all about the little victories."

"Here, you need the practice." Loki handed Boe over to him. The baby immediately grabbed two handfuls of Thor's long beard and yanked, using it to pull himself up. "You're going to have to cut that thing, brother."

"Valkyrie would leave me if I did." He braced Boe with his hand, letting him stand on his lap. He made a series of silly faces, making the baby giggle and bounce.

Boe had fallen asleep, still clutching a handful of beard in his fist, by the time Valkyrie came back with her elaborately braided hair. "Be still my heart," she said, sinking into the chair on Syn's other side. Then she added, "I can tell by your faces someone blabbed."

"We're blaming the children's Truth Curse," Syn told her. "Congratulations, anyway."

"Thank you. We've been trying to keep it quiet, in case something went wrong. But it's beginning to become obvious. My clothing today was very carefully chosen."

"I remember those days. When will you be due? Winter?"

"Before the solstice. Probably the end of harvest." 

"How exciting. Do you have a midwife?"

Valkyrie laughed. "I think I will have all of them. My age worries them."

"Feel free to borrow my royal healers if you need."

"I might, just to get Thor to fret less." She was watching him and Boe. "Sorry to deprive your son of his throne."

"It's perfectly fine with me," Syn said, glancing at Loki. "One less ego in the house."

Frigga came bounding in, carrying a messy sweet someone had given her. She climbed right up into Loki's lap, getting it all over his clothes, and he voiced no complaint, only leaning over to kiss the top of her head and steal a bite from her.

"I think Mother would be very happy to see all of this," Thor said.

"She would," Loki agreed, only a slight hint of grief in his voice. He smoothed Frigga's hair away from her face. "Once she got over the shock."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've got a couple more things coming in this series at some point--stay tuned!


End file.
